FoodService Instituut Nederland (FSIN) presents the first edition of the FSIN FoodPulse, the quarterly monitor that measures the purchasing intent and consumption behavior of Dutch food consumers. Particularly in the trends and development section, there are opportunities for foodservice concepts in the leisure sector to connect.
Experience concepts
According to the researchers, the hurriedness experienced by consumers is decreasing. Consumers experience less time pressure than a year earlier and therefore seem to eat out less often out of convenience or on impulse. The need for convenience is not disappearing, but is more frequently weighed against price, necessity, and added value.
FSIN Director Patrick Bramer sees in the results a consumer who makes sharper choices. 'Consumer sentiment is under pressure due to numerous national and international developments. As a result, the food shopper is becoming more conscious and better organized. The Dutch are paying closer attention to what they spend, planning their purchases more carefully, and eating out less automatically. A restaurant visit increasingly needs to truly add value. It must be a social experience, a special occasion, or a clear form of convenience.'
According to Bramer, the base is healthier than sentiment suggests. 'Average spending per visit is rising by nearly 2%. Consumers are therefore not less willing to pay; they are simply doing so more selectively and less frequently. For entrepreneurs, this means: whoever makes the visit worthwhile retains a consumer who is willing to pay for it.'
General developments in 'dining out'
Dutch consumers' spending on food and drinks outside the home will be 2,1% lower in the second quarter of 2026 than in the same period a year ago. This decline is entirely due to the frequency of visits, which is falling by 3,8%. The amount consumers spend per visit, however, is actually increasing: by 1,8% compared to a year earlier. So, those who go out to eat are not holding back on spending.
The results indicate that price is becoming an increasingly significant barrier to visiting foodservice locations. Almost two out of three consumers (65,5%) find eating out too expensive, an increase of 1,7 percentage points compared to a year earlier. Satisfaction with the price-quality ratio is declining more sharply: from 38,5% to 34,1%. As a result, dining out is becoming less of a matter of course and more often a conscious choice for a special, social, or recreational occasion.
The FSIN FoodPulse stands at 98,0 for the second quarter of 2026, compared to the reference level of 100 in the second quarter of 2025. A score below 100 indicates declining consumer willingness to buy in the Out of Home market. In Q1 2026, the quarterly monitor stood at 97,5. Compared to the first quarter of this year, willingness to buy is therefore picking up again.
Key results FSIN FoodPulse, July 2026
- FSIN FoodPulse 98,0 in Q2 2026, compared to 100 in Q2 2025.
- Spend score 97,9: total Out of Home spending is 2,1% lower than a year ago. The limiting factor is the frequency, not the amount per visit.
- Frequency score 96,2: consumers eat out less often.
- Spending score 101,8: average spending per visit increases by 1,8%.
- Mood score 98,1: the drivers for Out of Home consumption are under pressure on balance.
- Money index 98,1: more consumers find eating out too expensive.
- Rushedness index 95,8: the perceived rushingness decreases.
- Ordered index 98,6: consumers plan their eating and buying behavior more consciously
The study (unfortunately) did not take into account what consumers do while staying at a holiday destination. However, some of the mentioned trends do play into the hands of the recreation sector. For instance, entrepreneurs in the recreation sector already have extensive experience in creating unique experiences and social activities.
explanation Pretwerk.nl
Source and more information: www.fsin.nl/publicatie/fsin-foodpulse-q2-2026