Trends we spotted | Week 41
Inside Subway’s new Blueprint restaurant at Amstel Station in Amsterdam
Inside Subway’s new Blueprint restaurant at Amstel Station in Amsterdam
McDonald's bottled pickle brine as a fix for marathon runners - Pickle Boost
The Flower Farm gaat de horeca in met palmolievrije mini's
The Spaghetteria chain in the Netherlands celebrates 15 year with a Pasta Pass
PlanSimpler - rooster tool via WhatsApp
At horecatrends.com we spot many national and international trends on a daily basis. We pick the most interesting ones to write about, the other trends we use in our weekly column ‘Trends we spotted this week’. With this week links to articles about:
- Thai quick-service concept Pad Thai opened its newest location at Utrecht Centraal at the end of September, with an AI wok robot as a colleague.
- Spaghetteria is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary with the introduction of the ‘Pastapas’. They sold out in no time! New Pastapasses are likely to become available in November.
- Ron Blaauw, Bas Brouns and the team behind Ron Gastrobar Groep are entering into a long-term partnership with the Garçons Group, the culinary event company of Jeroen Robberegt and Jasper Gronert.
- The Flower Farm is entering the hospitality industry with palm oil-free minis. Hospitality professionals can request a sample via the website.
- PlanSimpler is a scheduling tool via WhatsApp, developed by a start-up from Eindhoven. The have enrolled in the 2027 Horecava Awards.
- Last week, Subway® unveiled Blueprint, a renewed restaurant and brand experience that modernizes the way guests order and eat, in support of growth in EMEA.
- KFC is introducing Go Buckets, a new way to enjoy KFC, which makes its signature Finger Lickin’ Good® chicken suitable for snacking and moments beyond the traditional meal.
- McDonald’s bottled pickle brine, Pickle Boost, was handed out as a pick-me-up for runners at last weekend’s Chicago Marathon.
Enjoy reading!
Pad Thai opens new location at Utrecht Centraal | With an AI wok robot as a colleague
In the middle of the food court behind the gates at Utrecht Centraal, the Thai quick-service concept opened its newest location at the end of September. It is not a copy of the existing restaurants, but Pad Thai 2.0: fresher in appearance, with a broader lunch offering and fully designed around the rhythm of the station. Pad Thai is also stepping things up in the kitchen. During rush hour, a striking new colleague stands at the wok: AI wok robot Charlie. While travellers move through the station, he woks up to six portions of Pad Thai at once. More details on their website.
Pad Thai opens new location on Utrecht Centraal – with an AI-robot wok as colleague
Spaghetteria celebrates 15 years with a ‘Pasta pass’
Spaghetteria has been around for fifteen years and is celebrating it with the introduction of the ‘Spaghetteria Pastapas’. With the pass, guests can drop by every day for a fresh pasta of their choice for €75 per four weeks. To mark the anniversary, Spaghetteria is making a limited number of passes available. The Pastapas was created to further strengthen the bond between Spaghetteria and its guests. Great idea!
Two days after the press release, the Pastapasses were no longer available. However, each month Spaghetteria takes stock of how many extra passes can be added, and it looks like a few hundred will be available again in November. As this month showed, interest is high, so if you want a pass, keep a close eye on the website and their socials!
Ron Gastrobar signature gets a bigger stage through partnership with Garçons Group
Ron Blaauw, Bas Brouns and the team behind Ron Gastrobar Groep are entering into a structural partnership with Garçons Group, the culinary event company of Jeroen Robberegt and Jasper Gronert. The collaboration first became visible at the end of September during Museumplein Polo Amsterdam.
Ron Gastrobar Groep has long provided catering and events outside its own restaurants. With Garçons Group as a structural partner, this can now be done on a larger scale and for more complex productions, while the culinary signature of Ron Gastrobar Groep, led by Ron Blaauw and Bas Brouns, remains leading. Bas Brouns, Executive Chef of Ron Gastrobar Groep, and the founders of Garçons Group have had a professional relationship for years. You can read more details here.
Ron Gastrobar’s signature brand is set to gain a wider platform through a partnership with the Garçons Group
The Flower Farm enters the hospitality industry with palm oil-free minis
In supermarkets, The Flower Farm’s 100% rainforest-friendly range is already widely available on the shelves. Now the margarine is also coming to the buffet in the hospitality sector. With one small gesture, you can let your guests contribute to something big: preserving the rainforest. The handy portion packs for the hospitality industry comply with European requirements for single-use plastics (SUP) and contain 10% less plastic than regular hard cups. The mini was launched at Gastvrij Rotterdam. Under the motto ‘Spreading with impact, in hospitality too’, The Flower Farm presented an 8-gram margarine stickpack. Hospitality professionals can request a sample via their website.
PlanSimpler | Scheduling tool via WhatsApp
PlanSimpler is a start-up from Eindhoven and a scheduling tool for cafés, bars and restaurants. Employees submit their availability and request time off via WhatsApp, through their ‘planning agent Klaus’. This means employees don’t need to install an app. The schedule is created automatically based on availability, roles, contracted hours and collective labour agreement (CLA) rules. The manager checks it, adjusts where needed and publishes it.
The start-up was founded by Bart van de Wetering and Thijmen Ypenburg. Both have worked in hospitality for years: Thijmen for five years, from kitchen and service to hotel reception, and Bart for three years in service. Bart builds the software, while Thijmen handles sales and contact with business owners. The idea, then, was born in the hospitality industry itself! They are currently running pilots, and the WhatsApp integration with Klaus goes live in November. They have also registered for the Horecava Awards. You can find more details here.
PlanSimpler – rooster tool via WhatsApp
Subway® unveils Blueprint, a reimagined restaurant and brand experience for EMEA
Last week Subway® unveiled Blueprint, a reimagined restaurant and brand experience that modernises how guests order and eat to support growth across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). From 1 January 2027, every new Subway restaurant and remodel in the region will be built to Blueprint, the centrepiece of the company’s multi-year business strategy. Check out their press release here.
KFC® puts a snackable spin on its iconic bucket with Go Buckets
KFC is introducing Go Buckets, a new way to KFC that brings its signature Finger Lickin’ Good® chicken to snacking occasions and moments beyond the traditional meal. Designed for on-the-go occasions, Go Buckets are the first KFC bucket designed to fit in a standard car cupholder. The new menu addition comes as snacking plays a bigger role in how Americans eat throughout the day. More details in their press release.
KFC® puts a snackable spin on its iconic bucket with Go Buckets
McDonald’s bottled pickle brine as a fix for marathon runners | Pickle Boost
McDonald’s fans always go the extra mile for the pickles of the company, and in honor of marathon season, they introduce Pickle Boost. Pickle juice has become a staple for athletes dealing with cramps mid-workout, and now, they’re bottling up the salty, athlete-ready brine from the beloved ingredient for one of the biggest marathon weekends in the country in Chicago. Runners could try Pickle Boost last weekend across Chicago, while supplies lasted. More details in their press release.
