The Netherlands is changing rapidly in terms of population and living patterns. But where are facilities such as cafés, restaurants, and supermarkets already well represented, and where is there still room to grow?
To answer this question, we developed an interactive dashboard based on CBS open data. It allows you to compare facilities across provinces, municipalities, districts, and neighborhoods—normalized to facilities per 10,000 inhabitants and complemented by a peer comparison by degree of urbanization (STED). This way, you can instantly identify which areas are under- or over-served.
Key insights
In 2024, the accessibility of cafés within 1, 3, and 5 km is consistently above the national average in North and South Holland, while Drenthe, Flevoland, and Zeeland clearly lag behind.
The average distance to a café is shortest in Limburg and longest in Drenthe.
Within the (very) highly urbanized classes, Groningen and Leeuwarden perform notably well in terms of the number of facilities, while Zoetermeer and Almere in the same categories fall clearly behind.
These patterns highlight that expansion opportunities are strongest in peripheral provinces and mid-sized cities, while the Randstad shows signs of saturation.
Overview by degree of urbanization
The table below provides an overview of the results by degree of urbanization (STED), with a minimum number of inhabitants defined for each category. For each facility type (cafés and restaurants) and selected radius (1/3/5 km), it shows which municipalities are relatively over-served or under-served.
This classification supports consistent comparison across areas and helps to identify potential opportunities for expansion as well as structural shortcomings.
| Degree of urbanization (STED) | Minimum # inhabitants | Facility | Radius | Over-served | Under-served |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very highly urban | 100,000 | Cafés | 1 km | Groningen, Rotterdam, Maastricht | Haarlem, Utrecht, Zoetermeer |
| 3 km | Groningen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam | Dordrecht, Delft, Zoetermeer | |||
| 5 km | Groningen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam | Leiden, Delft, Zoetermeer | |||
| Restaurants | 1 km | Groningen, Amsterdam, Maastricht | Haarlem, ’s-Gravenhage, Zoetermeer | ||
| 3 km | Groningen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam | Delft, Haarlem, Zoetermeer | |||
| 5 km | Amsterdam, Groningen, Rotterdam | Leiden, Delft, Zoetermeer | |||
| Highly urban | 100,000 | Cafés | 1 km | Leeuwarden, Apeldoorn, Venlo | Amersfoort, Haarlemmermeer, Almere |
| 3 km | Leeuwarden, Apeldoorn, Breda | Zaanstad, Haarlemmermeer, Almere | |||
| 5 km | Leeuwarden, Apeldoorn, Breda | Haarlemmermeer, Zaanstad, Almere | |||
| Restaurants | 1 km | Leeuwarden, Apeldoorn, Ede | Amersfoort, Almere, Zaanstad | ||
| 3 km | Leeuwarden, Apeldoorn, Ede | Nijmegen, Almere, Zaanstad | |||
| 5 km | Leeuwarden, Apeldoorn, Ede | Nijmegen, Almere, Zaanstad | |||
| Moderately urban | 50,000 | Cafés | 1 km | Weert, Heerenveen, Maashorst | Stichtse Vecht, Dijk en Waard, Lansingerland |
| 3 km | Weert, Heerenveen, Kampen | Westland, Dijk en Waard, Lansingerland | |||
| 5 km | Weert, Heerenveen, Kampen | Woerden, Dijk en Waard, Lansingerland | |||
| Restaurants | 1 km | Heerenveen, Maashorst, Kampen | Westland, Dijk en Waard, Lansingerland | ||
| 3 km | Lelystad, Heerenveen, Kampen | Lansingerland, Dijk en Waard, Westland | |||
| 5 km | Lelystad, Heerenveen, Kampen | Westland, Lansingerland, Dijk en Waard | |||
| Low urban | 50,000 | Cafés | 1 km | Súdwest-Fryslân, De Fryske Marren, Terneuzen | Barneveld, Utrechtse Heuvelrug, Noordoostpolder |
| 3 km | Súdwest-Fryslân, Terneuzen, De Fryske Marren | Altena, Noordoostpolder, Utrechtse Heuvelrug | |||
| 5 km | Súdwest-Fryslân, Terneuzen, De Fryske Marren | Altena, Utrechtse Heuvelrug, Noordoostpolder | |||
| Restaurants | 1 km | Súdwest-Fryslân, De Fryske Marren, Noordoostpolder | Midden-Groningen, Krimpenerwaard, Altena | ||
| 3 km | Súdwest-Fryslân, Noordoostpolder, De Fryske Marren | Vijfheerenlanden, Krimpenerwaard, Altena | |||
| 5 km | Súdwest-Fryslân, De Fryske Marren, Terneuzen | Vijfheerenlanden, Krimpenerwaard, Altena | |||
| Non-urban | 30,000 | Cafés | 1 km | Bronckhorst, Leudal, Opsterland | Tytsjerksteradiel, Molenlanden, Midden-Drenthe |
| 3 km | Leudal, Noardeast-Fryslân, Schouwen-Duiveland | Midden-Drenthe, Molenlanden, Tytsjerksteradiel | |||
| 5 km | Leudal, Waadhoeke, Bronckhorst | Hollands Kroon, Tytsjerksteradiel, Midden-Drenthe | |||
| Restaurants | 1 km | Schouwen-Duiveland, Bronckhorst, Midden-Drenthe | Westerkwartier, Waadhoeke, Molenlanden | ||
| 3 km | Schouwen-Duiveland, Midden-Drenthe, Noardeast-Fryslân | Leudal, Opsterland, Molenlanden | |||
| 5 km | Schouwen-Duiveland, Midden-Drenthe, Leudal | Tytsjerksteradiel, Opsterland, Waadhoeke |
Why this matters:
By first normalizing to facilities per km² and then to facilities per 10,000 inhabitants, comparisons can be made fairly across areas and radii. The STED peer analysis prevents biased conclusions between urban and rural contexts.
Curious how your region or network performs?
Explore the interactive dashboard and discover where opportunities and gaps exist.
Interested in a custom analysis for your own branches or distribution locations? Get in touch—we can map your coverage and pinpoint growth potential.
Source
CBS StatLine (2024), adapted by GlobalBeerIndex.