Having lived in Rotterdam for the last 7 years. I totally agree with this survey and feel that they have always been rude and self centered. Dutch folk tend to walk through you on the pavements and shop assistants would rather chat with collegues than serve customers.

By James Whyte | July 15, 2008 10:19 AM

I totally agree with the comments posted by James, especially in Rotterdam, but try being disabled, and/or ill & disabled ... it's even worse! ... and ... in the world capital of Human and Disabled rights ... huh! Not all, Thank Goodness, but so many Dutch are just openly rude here, even with comments they know they could get fined by Police for making, that's if anyone could ever get the Police to take any action. In many shops the worker's environment has become so 'gezellig' that they have become 'lui en slecht', and don't care about the customer, or if they make a sale, or not.

By Gerard | July 15, 2008 2:32 PM

I don't deny that the Dutch here are rude, I totally agree that the Dutch have no concept of customer service. But being an American who has lived outside the U.S. for 3 1/2 years I may say the same thing about Americans, especially American Tourists. Sometimes I just want to hide when I hear how obnoxious and self important we can be. I think it is just a perspective thing. When you leave your homeland and come to the conclusion that cultures are different from your own and realize that there are things that your countrymen do that don't seem appropriate when seen with your "new eyes".

By Ron | July 15, 2008 3:48 PM

Shop assistants are the worst, I quite agree, sometimes I have been the only customer in a shop with 3 servers, who make you wait until they have finished their chat, if you make some kind of sign that you wish to be served rather than listen to their night out last night, you can be sure to receive service of the most sloppy and aggressive nature.

Waiters and waitresses too are terrible for this, and if they make a mistake which is often you can be sure they won't apologise but try and blame somebody else.

I remember being in a hospital once and the whole department shut down because it was coffee and cake time, all the nurses and assistants collected together in an office and all the patients waiting outside could hear the jolly laughter and joking as we sat there reading 2 year old magazines waiting for our turn !

Maybe people aren't paid enough, but they sure don't give a damn whether you buy anything or not, which is strange because the Dutch used to be such good traders.

But sometimes I really feel like I am the enemy when I go into a shop to buy something. But hey the customer is King I used to complain or make a fuss but that gets you nowhere and you turn into the bad guy because you are making a fuss, now I just pay up, shut up and take my future business elsewhere.

By Iain | July 15, 2008 3:56 PM

That is something I too can confirm. They rather walk straight into you than actually move away when they are the ones with the space. And don't get me started on the cueing in and out of trains. You sadly need sharp elbows to handle that crowd.

I know Netherlands is a extremely tiny country, but there are still enough space to not be rude and selfish.

Still, in other situations they can be extremely nice, so you just end up getting confused. Maybe that's what they are trying to do. Confuse you.

I really don't care any more as I'm leaving this country very soon.

By xen | July 15, 2008 5:34 PM

I do not believe the Dutch are rude. They tend to be forthright and direct, which translates to many as being rude.
Teenagers can be the worst, I find many have a lack of manners, which comes from being lazy, no home training from parents, whom are to busy to spend time with their children,because they are holding down 2nd jobs...

By John | July 15, 2008 11:21 PM

I do not know if shop keepers or wait staff are rude in The Netherlands. I've never been able to get any service from one so I can't really speak to this article.

By Tim Lee | July 16, 2008 7:32 AM

It all depends on what city you live and class of people, the same as the United States. You have polite people, you have rude people in all walks of life, ethnic backgrounds, nationality etc.

By Sandra | July 16, 2008 9:33 AM

I am not sure what has happened to AMS since I first arrived a dozen years ago. It seems a lot meaner, ruder, and often, more drunk. Weird. It has me thinking about living somewhere else. It kind of hurts. Like a love affair ending.

By stevie | July 16, 2008 1:55 PM

Having lived in more then 6 countries, I do observe major differences to Holland. I'd prefer to call Dutch here as "rough" and politeness seems a waste of time to them. This fits perfectly with Calvinistic behaviour. But it is also true that Shop personnel seems often uninterested to sell, negotiation of prizes in shops appears to be a major offence and a quarter before closing time I experienced several times to be thrown out of the shop. Where do you go Holland?

By Mike Zulu | July 17, 2008 10:30 AM

I like John's contribution, the one about the Dutch being forthright and direct. That's what's called an excuse, John, and it's one of the things the Dutch are expert in - giving excuses for your own shortcomings, blaming others for your own shortcomings, denying your own shortcomings. Complancency. Mediocrity, aka the Zesjes mentaliteit. Fully acquainted with your rights but no concept of duty. The service thing - always the main topic of conversation/rant amongst a group of expats or returning Dutch expats - is just another feature of the national psyche.

By Lee Mitchell | July 17, 2008 10:36 AM

I agree wholeheartedly with Lee. Maybe thats why international companies based in Holland are so keen on taking on foreign nationals as opposed to homegrown candidates. If I were Dutch I would be worried....very worried!

By Mr Craig | July 17, 2008 3:10 PM

Having been an Australian tourist in Holland and married to a Dutchman - I loved my experience on the most part when I travelled there. The only rudeness I experienced was from teenagers serving at fast food restaurants! I did however, spend most of my time in a smaller town, not a city and was surrounded by lovely Dutch relatives. My experience found the Dutch to be helpful and friendly. We also went to Paris on our trip - and will never go back there again. I think the Dutch are far better mannered.

By Mrs Dutch | July 18, 2008 4:12 AM

this article in Dutchnews is only part of the article I read in a Dutch newspaper. There it said that 2/3 of expats in Holland think Dutch people are rude. The only surprise to me in that is that it's only 2/3 rather than 3/3.

By Jean | July 18, 2008 11:54 AM

I am a Filipina American living in Amsterdam. My Dutchman and I are leaving the Netherlands by end of this year. I gave it 3 years and now I am really happy to leave. I agree with the total rudeness -- I was also told to leave a restaurant once .. it was raining heavily and I needed a place to have coffee and sheltered from the terrible rain. The waiter kicked me out! I also see a lot of arrogance coupled with ignorance and self-centered talk.

By Mixxy | July 27, 2008 1:53 PM

Mild Xenophobia anyone? It's there in varying levels. Iain - was their great trading history not founded on slavery and Imperialism, like so many 'great nations'? Lee - you're bang-on target, I reckon. I live in the Hague. Have you ever noticed how comparatively quick people from the former 'colonies' are to help a mother struggling with a pram and child to get on a tram? How often do you see the 'Dutch' Dutch do this?....Certainly not very often in The Hague. This is merely on the basis of my observation over 6 years. I think they have a mentality of 'Not my problem', regardless of the gravity/levity. People here more often laugh at your problem(s) or show nothing at all rather than make any attempt to understand. They are under no obligation to try, but it belies an ugliness in the character of such people. I am actually surprised to find an entry in the Dutch dictionary for 'empathy'! It's a very Dutch word - it's 'empathie'!!!

By Colm | March 5, 2009 9:55 AM

A friend of mine was confronted the other day by a Dutch girl who was giving him grief because he has been living here for a few years and has not been able to learn the language. He responded by saying,"Well that's funny when my grandfather came here in September of 1944 (as a British soldier), you guys sure did not mind speaking English to him, its a wonder why we are not having this conversation in German right now." She shut up immediately.

By Jorge | March 10, 2009 11:38 AM

I've been fortunate to live in a number of countries in various parts of the World and can catagorically say that the Dutch are the rudest, laziest and least customer service minded people I have ever had the misfortune to deal with. All this in the middle of a recession as well, which makes me wonder just how hard a slap in the face some of them need to realise that if they don't change their attitude they're in for some rough times ahead. I make an absolute point now of buying as little as I can from NL, preferring to take my business onto the internet whenever possible or from neighbouring countries when I travel. I thought London and Paris were bad, but recent experiences there have been pretty good. The Dutch now top the table and should be suitably ashamed of how they are perceived by visitors to their shores - though I doubt it will make a scratch on the thick layer of arrogance.

By John | May 10, 2009 8:27 PM

The rudeness is part of their VOC culture. Where they go and plunder the world's resources for themselves. It comes naturally for them to be self-centered, inconsiderate and rude. And don't try to argue with them because they are "always" right.

By James | October 5, 2009 1:50 PM

As a Southerner from America, we pride ourselves on good manners and politeness. What was disturbing to me most was why the office, shop and restaurant owners tolerated their help being arrogant and inconsiderate of the customer. As a business manager, I would have sent the hiree packing at the first sign of such behavior.

By Jim | December 27, 2009 10:36 PM

As a person born in holland - I don't identify myself with the term 'dutch' - who has lived in the UK for well over 10 years, I could not agree more with this statement.

What goes for 'open ness', 'directness' and 'straightforwarness' is nothing but a show of ill manneredness, to which I am thankfully no longer exposed.

I no longer have to 'defend' my desire for privacy, don't have to put up with neighbours inviting themselves without being asked, uninvited comments and constant - equally un invited - appraisal.

There may be a lot wrong with the UK according to some finger pointers, but the Brits are easily much more tolerant, certainly much more helpful and polite than my ex country men and women.

Multiculturalism actually exsists here and is more than just empty words.

For me, leaving that place has become my salvation, instead of a diving 'off the the deep end'. It's one of the best things I ever did!

I cringe with shame, when I realise that I used to be that ill mannered myself, when still living in holland. My deepest apologies to all those I have offended with my total lack of manners.

By Ann Kelly | January 23, 2010 8:03 PM