American Express has formally announced a proposed acquisition of TheFork, a leading online restaurant search and reservation platform in Europe, from Tripadvisor, aiming to strengthen its European restaurant offering.

The proposed acquisition is part of American Express's broader restaurant strategy and follows the successful acquisitions of Resy and Tock. Together, these platforms should enable American Express to expand its network to approximately 75,000 bookable restaurants.

Through the proposed acquisition of TheFork, American Express would strengthen its restaurant offering in Europe and its ability to offer Card Members and consumers access to highly sought-after restaurants, while also supporting the growth of its international business, one of the Group's key growth drivers.

"Over time, the proposed acquisition would allow us to strengthen our distinctive Membership model, offering Card Members new opportunities to discover, book and access quality restaurants, while also supporting our restaurant partners in growing their customer base and developing their businesses," said Rafa Marquez , President of International Card Services at American Express, who looks forward to "the prospect of supporting TheFork's growth and leveraging its success while strengthening our presence in the restaurant industry in Europe."

"American Express shares our commitment to innovation, quality service, and hospitality," said Almir Ambeskovic , Chief Executive Officer of TheFork. "Together, we will have a unique opportunity to accelerate our mission, creating even more value for restaurants and offering ever richer and simpler experiences to millions of diners across Europe."

Founded in 2007, TheFork offers restaurateurs solutions for managing reservations, interacting with customers, and optimizing operations, helping them improve their business performance while ensuring a seamless booking experience for their diners. TheFork connects millions of users with over 50,000 restaurants in 11 European countries through its platform for managing reservations, customer relations, and restaurant operations, supported by an app and website for discovering and booking restaurants.

Following the closing of the potential transaction, TheFork would continue to operate under the current management, while benefiting from American Express's global reach and support capabilities. The proposed transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026. Under the terms of the proposal, American Express will acquire TheFork from Tripadvisor for $700 million, to be paid entirely in cash and subject to customary price adjustments.