ROTTERDAM, 5 December 2025 – What did people in Rotterdam really crave in 2025? New figures from Thuisbezorgd.nl show a city torn between classic comfort food and social media trends. Pizza margherita stayed on top, while Korean fried chicken, double smash burgers and red fruit lemonade pushed their way onto local menus.
Thuisbezorgd.nl has shared its annual year in review, based on anonymised order data from around six million users and more than 14,000 affiliated partners. The data reveal what ended up on plates and in shopping baskets across the Netherlands, with a clear spotlight on Rotterdam and Zuid-Holland. Social media trends such as sushi sandwiches, matcha lattes and build-your-own bowls moved from timeline to takeaway bag, but familiar choices still dominated many orders in 010.
What rotterdammers ordered in 2025
In Rotterdam, pizza margherita was the most ordered dish of the year, confirming its status as a default choice when people did not want to overthink dinner. Behind this, cheeseburgers and pizza salami featured prominently, reflecting the continuing pull of standard fast food alongside newer options.
Korean fried chicken emerged as the fastest rising dish in the city, with the double smash burger close behind as another strong climber. Together with potato wedges and dishes such as yangnyeom chicken and sushi sandwiches, these trends point to a growing appetite in Rotterdam for loaded, sauce-heavy comfort food with influences from Korean, American and fusion kitchens. The favourite dessert in the harbour city was homemade tiramisu. Red fruit lemonade was the most up-and-coming drink.
Breakfast, sweets and groceries on delivery
Breakfast via bezorgdienst became more common in 2025. Across the Netherlands, and in Rotterdam as part of that trend, cinnamon buns and overnight oats stood out as the most popular morning orders. The data suggest that more people are willing to treat themselves to a morning delivery, especially on slower days or after late nights.
Sweet items in general saw a noticeable rise. Cinnamon buns, pistachio ice cream and baklava were among the favourites for those with a sweet tooth, often appearing as add-ons to a main meal. On major football nights, particularly during the UEFA Champions League final, orders shifted towards classic Dutch bar snacks, with frikandellen topping the list during an evening on the sofa.
Not all orders were for takeaway meals. Grocery deliveries via the app continued to grow and the number of individual supermarket items ordered tripled compared with the previous year. Bananas, milk and cucumbers formed the top three of most ordered grocery products, showing that people increasingly used delivery for basic staples as well as last-minute extras.
Lunch orders showed a different pattern, with chicken teriyaki, carpaccio sandwiches and the traditional Dutch broodje gezond among the most requested midday options. This combination of warm dishes and familiar sandwiches fits a working city where office staff, students and home workers look for quick, filling lunches.
Rotterdam and Zuid-Holland as heavy users
Zuid-Holland recorded the highest number of orders of all Dutch provinces in 2025. Nowhere else in the country were more meals and groceries arranged via Thuisbezorgd.nl, and Rotterdam, as the largest city in the province, plays a central role in that picture. At the same time, the single most active individual customer came from Groningen, with 538 orders in one year, showing that heavy users are spread widely across the map.
The province also appeared near the top when it came to high-value orders. The most expensive single order nationwide was placed in Noord-Brabant, but Zuid-Holland took third place with an order worth €987,50. Tipping behaviour showed a mixed landscape: the highest tip recorded in the Netherlands was €50, an amount that appeared in several provinces including Zuid-Holland, while some other regions tended to be more cautious.
Nationally, Italian, American and fusion kitchens were the fastest growing categories, and these developments are visible in Rotterdam’s delivery habits as well. The popularity of double smash burgers, loaded fries variations and mix-and-match bowls fits a broader move towards menus where influences from different food cultures are combined. Local events also left their mark: on New Year’s Day, fries were a common order across the country, while in April, Koningsnacht leaned towards pizza margherita and Koningsdag towards fries.
For Rotterdam, the year overview paints a picture of a city that still relies on its classics while openly adopting internet-driven food trends. From simple margheritas on quiet evenings to Korean fried chicken on busy weekends, the data show how Rotterdammers used delivery services to shape their own routine of comfort food, treats and everyday groceries.
