McDonald's Nederland started in 1970 through a joint venture between supermarket chainAlbert 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 inZaandam 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 inAmsterdamMuntplein,RotterdamCoolsingel andVoorburg, while the locations in Zaandam,Delft, Amsterdam Middenweg andThe 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 firstDrive-through (McDrive) location opened atHuis ter Heide on 12 September 1987.[9]
In 1988, McDonald's Nederland opened a training facility akin toHamburger 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 its 100th restaurant inMaastricht.[13]
In 2020, McDonald's Nederland announced that it would reduce its plastic by removing the lids onMcFlurries and switching from plastic straws to paper ones.[14]
In 2022, McDonald's Nederland moved its headquarters from Amsterdam to Utrecht.[15][16]
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 inBest features a Rock and Roll theme with its design based on therestaurant inDes Plaines, Illinois. AMichael Jackson statue was originally installed on the parking lot since 1996, but was removed in April 2019 following allegations against Jackson in the documentaryLeaving Neverland.[19][20]
During its opening, it served items such asAppelmoes,chicken drumsticks and theMcKroket, but were discontinued early on. In February 1999, the McKroket was readded to the menu.[21] In September 2023, a meatless version was introduced, with the original removed during its first month of introduction. This led to angry reactions onsocial media and a handful of aggressive incidents in restaurants.[22] The chain also serves Fristi andChocomel drinks since 1993.[5]
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