Dutch consumers continue shift to daytime dining as hospitality revenue climbs 5%

Dutch consumers are changing the way they spend on food and drinks, favoring daytime visits to cafés and coffee bars over evening outings, a shift that helped restaurants and cafés post a 5 percent revenue increase in the first nine months of 2025, ABN AMRO reported.

Generation Z, roughly ages 13 to 28, is at the forefront of this trend, according to Marijke Vuik, chair of Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN). "They seek hospitality a lot during the day, for example, to have lunch. And you can see it in the streets. Ten years ago, there weren’t nearly as many coffee bars or lunch spots as there are now," she said at the Horecava trade fair in Amsterdam.

KHN data shows coffee and dessert shops increased from about 1,400 in 2020 to over 2,000 in 2025. Meanwhile, the overall number of hospitality businesses slightly declined to nearly 44,000, with cafés and nightclubs dropping by more than a fifth. The shift toward daytime consumption began before the COVID-19 pandemic but accelerated during it, as nightlife remained closed for two years. Meal delivery and takeaway services, which expanded during the pandemic, remain about 50 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels. Vuik added, "People are willing to spend more in hospitality, both on-site and through orders. And that is lasting."

Overall, Dutch consumers spent 23 billion euros on eating and drinking out in 2025, up 3.9 percent from 2024, according to FoodService Instituut Nederland (FSIN). Revenue at restaurants and cafés grew 4.3 percent to 12.5 billion euros, while catering returned to pre-pandemic levels at 4 billion euros, boosted by more office workers and higher prices. Fast-food outlets and convenience stores saw sales volume stagnate, though revenue rose 3.2 percent to 6.5 billion euros due to price increases. FSIN director Inga Blokker said, "Prices have risen faster than in traditional hospitality. Consumers no longer see fast service as a cheap alternative."

Financial pressures remain despite growth. Nearly one-quarter of small hospitality businesses report problematic debt, and closures in the first three quarters of 2025 reached a ten-year high, mostly among restaurants. Staff shortages persist, and wage growth in the sector is expected to stay below the national average. KHN identified raising profit margins as the biggest challenge for 2026.

The Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB) expects purchasing power to rise 1.3 percent next year, which may support further revenue growth. FSIN predicts overall hospitality revenue will grow between 3.1 and 3.8 percent in 2026 across restaurants, cafés, catering, and fast-food outlets.