McDonald's Netherlands

Last updated
McDonald's Nederland
FormerlyFamily Food N.V. (1970–1975)
Company type Besloten vennootschap
Genre Fast food
FounderJan Sybesma
HeadquartersStadsplateau 31-32, 3521 AZ,
Utrecht
Number of locations
263 (2024) [1]
Area served
 Netherlands
Key people
Zoe Hamburger (Managing director) [2]
Products
Services Franchising
Number of employees
22.000
Parent Ahold (50%) (1970–1975)
McDonald's Corporation (1970–present)
Website mcdonalds.com/nl/

McDonald's Nederland B.V. is the Dutch master franchise of McDonald's based in the Netherlands.

Contents

History

McDonald's Nederland started in 1970 though a joint venture between supermarket chain Albert Heijn (Ahold) and the McDonald's Corporation called Family Food N.V. [3] [4] The first European McDonald's restaurant opened in the Netherlands on 21 August 1971 at the Vermiljoenweg in Zaandam led by franchisiee Jan Sybesma (1935–2014) [5] [6]

In 1975, Ahold opted to end the joint venture due to declining sales. McDonald's acquired Ahold's stake and kept its restaurants in Amsterdam Muntplein, Rotterdam Coolsingel and Voorburg, while the locations in Zaandam, Delft, Amsterdam Middenweg and The Hauge were sold and rebranded to Mr. Makkie. [7] [8] [4]

Under Sybesma's leadership, McDonald's began expanding its presence rapidly in the Netherlands in the 1980s. [5] The first Drive-through (McDrive) location opened at Huis ter Heide on 12 September 1987. [9]

In 1988, McDonald's Nederland opened a training facility akin to Hamburger University called Hamburger College at their headquarters in Amsterdam. [10]

In January 1994, Jan Sybesma stepped down as general director of the company and was succeeded by Rene Savelberg. [11] [12] that same month, it opened up it's 100th restaurant in Maastricht. [13]

In 2020, McDonald's Nederland announced that it would reduce its plastic by removing the lids on McFlurries and switching from plastic straws to paper ones. [14]

In 2022, McDonald's Nederland moved its headquarters from Amsterdam to Utrecht. [15] [16]

Restaurants

McDonald's Nederland currently has around 263 restaurants in the Netherlands.

The McDonald's restaurant at Coolsingel in Rotterdam was voted the ugliest building in the city in 2014. The building was later demolished and reopened on 27 March 2015 with a golden design. [17] [18]

A McDonald's restaurant in Best features a Rock and Roll theme with its design based on the restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. A Michael Jackson statue was originally installed on the parking lot since 1996, but was removed in April 2019 following allegations against Jackson in the documentary Leaving Neverland . [19] [20]

During its opening, it served items such as Appelmoes, chicken drumsticks and the McKroket, but were discontinued early on. In February 1999, the McKroket was readded to the menu. [21] The chain also serves Fristi and Chocomel drinks since 1993. [5]

References

  1. ↑ "McDonald's Systemwide Restaurants" (PDF). McDonald's Corporation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 June 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  2. ↑ van Oosbree, Gerard (18 July 2025). "Zoe Hamburger wordt nieuwe baas McDonald's Nederland". Out of Home Shops (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  3. ↑ "Albert Heijn start nieuw soort restaurants". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). 9 September 1970. Retrieved 2 August 2025– via Delpher.
  4. 1 2 Wegereef, Sander (4 February 2017). "De eerste McDonalds van Europa stond in Zaandam". De Orkaan (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 Breedeveld, Marcella (8 September 1993). "Jan Sybesma bracht Nederland aan de hamburger". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 1 August 2025. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  6. ↑ Rijlaarsdam, Barbara (5 June 2014). "De man die de Nederlanders aan de Big Mac kreeg". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 31 July 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  7. ↑ "Ahold verbreekt samenwerking met Amerikanen". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). 18 January 1975. Retrieved 1 August 2025– via Delpher.
  8. ↑ "Ahold stapt uit McDonald's". De Volkskrant (in Dutch). 18 January 1975. Retrieved 1 August 2025– via Delpher.
  9. ↑ Hopman, J.E. (2 September 1987). "Binnen 45 seconden een hapklare maaltijd". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 31 July 2025– via Delpher.
  10. ↑ Meuleman, Eelco (27 September 1988). "Nederlands Hamburger College geopend Promoveren tot Big Mac". NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 1 August 2025. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  11. ↑ de Waard, Peter (10 April 1994). "Steak eten bij countrymuziek, met ober in spijkerbroek". De Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 August 2025– via Delpher.
  12. ↑ Schwartz, Koos (13 January 1995). "McDonald's is nog lang niet uitgegroeid in Nederland". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 August 2025– via Delpher.
  13. ↑ "McDonald's: Verdubbeling aantal banen en bedrijven". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). 14 January 1994. Retrieved 1 August 2025– via Delpher.
  14. ↑ Bremmer, David (11 September 2020). "McDonald's doet plastic rietjes en deksels in de ban". Algemeen Dagblad . Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  15. ↑ van Beek, Steffen (15 June 2022). "Hoofdkantoor McDonald's Nederland verhuist naar Utrecht". Foodclicks (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  16. ↑ Salome, Renée (16 June 2022). "Hoofdkantoor McDonalds naar Utrecht verhuisd". Out of Home Shops (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  17. ↑ "McDonalds Coolsingel". top010.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  18. ↑ de Koning, Adrianne (1 April 2015). "Lof en kritiek voor gouden gebouw McDonald's". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 1 August 2025. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  19. ↑ Quekel, Sebastiaan (2 April 2019). "Wereldberoemd Michael Jackson-standbeeld bij McDonald's Best na ruim 20 jaar weggehaald". Eindhovens Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  20. ↑ Mollen, Janske (29 April 2023). "Eigenaren van iconische McDonald's in Best en Woensel stoppen ermee: 'Met je handen eten vonden mensen heel vreemd'". Eindhovens Dagblad (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 1 August 2025. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  21. ↑ "De gele 'M' verliest glans". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 19 December 2002. Retrieved 31 July 2025– via Delpher.
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