Food Chains to Keep an Eye on in 2023
Last year I manifested like crazy to get more chains in the Netherlands this year. Because why do we only have seven Five Guys locations in the Netherlands, and why isn’t a single one of them in Amsterdam but there is one in Almere? And I would also absolutely love to get Shake Shack in the Netherlands. And (a girl can dream) a Din Tai Fung location. And I could go on like this for a while…
But according to The Take Out, there are 11 food chains we really need to keep an eye on next year. Which ones? Of course I’m happy to tell you, because my best friend, the big yellow M, is on the list again too.
1. 7-Eleven
You may know this as a supermarket, but they are well on their way to becoming much more than that. They’re getting a drive-thru and are investing heavily in their ready-to-eat products.
2. Bb.q Chicken
No, this isn’t barbecue chicken: the Bb and q stand for ‘best of the best quality’. This chain is already a huge hit in South Korea because of its revolutionary ordering system: in advance through an app or at the location with robots. Sounds exciting.
3. Chipotle
Aahh, I would absolutely love to have this chain in the Netherlands too. Their own drive-thru, the Chipotlane, is a huge success, and they’re now working hard to make fast food even faster. Placing orders in advance, for example, means a shorter wait while maintaining the same quality.
4. Dave & Buster’s
I had never heard of this chain before, but that makes sense: this year, they are mainly targeting Millennials and Gen Z. They want to welcome these groups more and encourage them to stick around for an evening of food and drinks. Sounds good to me.
5. FAT brands
This includes the chains Fatburger, Buffalo’s Express and Hot Dog on a Stick. Unfortunately, we don’t have any of them here, but who knows, that might change: this year they acquired even more chains and are building a great many additional locations.
6. Fazoli’s
We’re really missing this in the Netherlands too: a good, affordable Italian chain. Fazoli’s operates worldwide and also has various partnerships (such as with The Cheeseacke Factory). So there’s definitely a chance we’ll be getting this in the Netherlands too.
7. Jack in the Box
If you’ve been to America, you’ve probably come across a Jack in the Box. They currently have around 2,200 locations in America, and this year they want to reach 6,000. And then conquer the world? I hope so.
8. Jersey Mike’s
You can get really, really good sandwiches here in LA, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed; this chain hasn’t been around that long but is growing insanely fast. They already have 2,100 locations. Crazy.
9. Jet’s Pizza
Is there such a thing as too many pizza chains? Definitely not. This chain did something special: customers could order their pizza by text message. And yes, it worked: they made $100 million in profit from it last year.
10. McDonald’s
Yesss, the Golden Arches are still doing incredibly well too. And this year they’re going to try something new: locations where you place your order in advance (via an app) and pick it up at a window. Without any contact with the employees, that is. This was already a huge hit in Texas, so now they’re expanding it.
11. Yum brands
This includes the chains Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC — I didn’t even know they belonged to the same parent company. We don’t see these chains very often in the Netherlands, but that will probably change: this year they’re focusing on the international market.
Read also:
- This bracelet gives you an electric shock when you eat fast food
- These are the strangest fast-food items ever
- Recipe: Big Mac sauce, decoded
Source: The Take Out
