TheFork

TheFork, originally LaFourchette, is an online restaurant reservation platform founded in 2007 in France. The service enables users to search for restaurants, check real-time table availability, read and write reviews, view menus and photos, and make reservations online. It operates in multiple countries across Europe and Latin America, connecting diners with thousands of partner restaurants and offering promotional options for bookings.

History: It launched as LaFourchette in 2007 in France. In 2014, TripAdvisor acquired the service and integrated it into its travel and dining ecosystem. Booking Holdings, the parent company of Booking.com, acquired TheFork from TripAdvisor in 2019, and TheFork became part of Booking Holdings’ portfolio. The platform has since expanded its international reach and emphasized mobile access and loyalty features.

Services and business model: TheFork provides a free-to-use platform for diners. Revenue is generated primarily from commissions on reservations and from paid promotional tools offered to restaurants. It also offers restaurant management tools to manage bookings, guest data, and performance analytics, and supports a loyalty program in certain markets.

Scope and impact: TheFork is a leading online reservation platform in its core markets, competing with other booking services. It aims to increase transparency with visible restaurant details and user reviews and supports multiple languages and currencies on its platform.