Trends we spotted | Week 4
A music get-together in traditional Dutch bars - Amstel Live in the pub
McDonald's in the US launched Arches & Ambition - The 1 in 8 Mentorship Program
Stooges’ opens second location in Het Industriegebouw in Rotterdam - credits Michelle Margot
Van Gelder Nederland - carrot, ginger & lemongrass dressing
Burger King kicked off the year with a new guest-Inspired creation - The Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper
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:
- Did you know that 1 in 8 Americans has worked at a McDonald’s restaurant at some point? McDonald’s in the US taps into this insight with McDonald’s Arches & Ambition, the 1 in 8 Mentorship Program.
- Bouldering is also fairly popular in the Netherlands. Recently, we came across two new variations: moving climbing walls.
- Happy Doggo: squeaky dog toys shaped like fries, sandwiches and burgers at McDonald’s France. Likely a hit with many Dutch dog lovers and McDo fans as well!
- Burger King US introduced The Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper as part of its ‘Whopper by You’ initiative.
- McDonald’s Germany launched a new vegetarian platform with the introduction of five plant-based products: Veggie lovers welcome.
- On Saturday 31 January, Stooges’ Funhouse opens in Het Industriegebouw on Rotterdam’s Goudsesingel. This will be their second location in Rotterdam.
- From February 26 until the next edition of De Vrienden van Amstel LIVE, a musical get-together, hits the road. Every Thursday evening, a different traditional pub hosts a night full of music, friendship and atmosphere: Amstel LIVE in the pub.
- Van Gelder Netherlands, producer of plant-based products, launched a unique range of seven fully plant-based sauces and dressings for the foodservice market during HORECAVA 2026.
Enjoy reading!
McDonalds launched Arches & Ambition | The 1 in 8 Mentorship Program
On January 8, McDonald’s launched Arches & Ambition: The 1 in 8 Mentorship Program, alongside nationwide celebrations recognizing current and former crew members. The initiative includes a four-part YouTube series pairing employees with alumni mentors across industries. For example one episode features chef and restaurateur John Liu mentoring Abigail “Abby” Robles, a McDonald’s manager and Los Angeles baker, who joins him as a sous chef for a special luncheon. Coast-to-coast restaurant events and local fan offers further mark the launch, aiming to highlight transferable skills and long-term career development.
Every story reveals the same powerful truth: when ambition is paired with foundational skills and a community of support, the possibilities are endless. More details in their press release, link in the title.
Amstel LIVE in the pub!
When you say Amstel, you think of the brown pub (a traditional Dutch bar). When you think of De Vrienden van Amstel, you think of music. These two now come together in a brand-new concept: Amstel LIVE in the pub! From 26 February until the next edition of ‘De Vrienden van Amstel LIVE’ (the friends of Amstel live’, a musical get-together hits the road. Every Thursday evening, a different traditional pub hosts a night full of music, friendship and atmosphere. Throughout the year, there’s plenty of room to raise a glass, sing along and dance. The house band of ‘De Vrienden van Amstel LIVE’ delivers a high-energy live show, allowing you to enjoy the familiar pub vibe and great music together with friends. Dates, participating pubs and a taste of the atmosphere can be found on the ‘Amstel LIVE in the pub’-website, link in the title. Be sure to check out their video below. A great way to shine the spotlight back on the traditional brown pub.
McDonald’s Germany launches new vegetarian platform | Veggie lovers welcome
In response to the growing demand for vegetarian dishes, McDonald’s Germany is expanding its menu with new vegetarian options at the start of the year. The products were introduced on 7 January and cater to vegetarians and flexitarians looking for meat-free alternatives with familiar flavours. A total of five products have been added permanently to the menu: the McVeggie, Big Veggie Salad, McWrap Veggie Honey Mustard, McWrap Veggie Mango Curry, and McPlant Nuggets. More details can be found on the specially created website.
McDonald’s Germany launches new vegetarian platform – Veggie lovers welcome
Burger King® kicked off the year with a new guest-Inspired creation: The Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper®
Following last year’s rollout of the “Whopper by You” initiative, Burger King added a new fan-inspired menu item on January 6: the Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper. The launch responds to more than 600,000 customer submissions shaping past offerings. The burger includes flame-grilled beef topped with onion rings, bacon, sautéed mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and peppercorn aioli. It follows earlier releases such as the BBQ Brisket Whopper and Crispy Onion Whopper. The menu update also introduces a Cinnamon Apple Pie, available for a limited time while supplies last. Great idea the fan-driven menu items!
Happy Doggo | At McDonald’s in France
@jimmytherestaurantdog, our office dog, would love to head to France, with a stop at McDo, of course! A few weeks ago, McDonald’s France introduced ‘Happy Doggy’, a temporary campaign featuring squeaky dog toys shaped like fries, sandwiches and burgers.
These playful extras were offered with selected meals and were available exclusively in France, while supplies lasted. There are plenty of dog lovers and McDonald’s fans in the Netherlands who would surely enjoy this as well. Check out a reel by Tastebud about Happy Doggo via the link in the title.
Alternatives to a climbing wall | ‘Rotisserie bouldering’ or a ‘treadwall’
Bouldering is also quite popular in the Netherlands. Recently, we came across two new variations. The @castleclimbingclub in Seattle introduced a rotisserie route: a rotating climbing wall that keeps moving, creating an entirely new challenge. Link in the title. We also spotted a treadwall on Instagram — an endless climbing wall that continuously rolls. Check out the reel below. Both systems are a serious test of endurance and offer a fresh take on bouldering.
Dit bericht op Instagram bekijken
Stooges’ opens second location in Het Industriegebouw in Rotterdam
On Saturday 31 January, Stooges’ Funhouse will open in Het Industriegebouw on Rotterdam’s Goudsesingel. At Station Bergweg, Stooges’ smash burgers quickly gained cult status and a loyal following. Now, owners Kick Vogel and Jip Boon are opening their second venue. This time, they are setting up shop in an industrial space on the ground floor of Het Industriegebouw. The new location will offer an extensive menu from lunch through to evening, featuring smash burgers, deli sandwiches, bar snacks, natural wines and cocktails. “This is exactly where we wanted to go,” says Kick. “Just doing what we love, but in a place we can build from the ground up ourselves. We’re fully confident we’re going to rock it here.” More details can be found on their website, link in the title.
Fully plant-based range of sauces and dressings introduced at HORECAVA
Van Gelder, a leading Dutch fruit and vegetable supplier and producer of plant-based products, launched a unique range of seven fully plant-based sauces and dressings for the foodservice market during HORECAVA 2026. The in-house developed range consists of four mayonnaises and three vegetable-based dressings.
Van Gelder’s product development team spent two years perfecting this completely egg- and gluten-free* range, focusing on achieving the right balance of taste and texture. Based on a vegan mayo, several vegetable-forward flavours were created, including mustard caviar mayo, habanero & paprika vegetable mayo, and mushroom & truffle vegetable mayo.
The range is completed with three dressings: carrot, ginger & lemongrass, beetroot & balsamic, and sweet potato chipotle. The sauces and dressings are supplied in 775 ml bottles, while the plant-based mayonnaises are also available in 5-litre buckets, suitable for direct pump attachment. More details can be found on the website, link in the title.
* With the exception of mushroom & truffle (vegetable) mayonnaise, as truffle tapenade containing ingredients with gluten is used in its production.
