American Express to buy TheFork from Tripadvisor for $700 million

American Express will buy TheFork from Tripadvisor for $700 million in cash, giving the card company a larger dining reservation network and giving Tripadvisor room to fund its travel experiences business.

The companies announced the deal Monday. American Express said the acquisition will raise its dining network to 75,000 bookable venues. TheFork connects diners with more than 50,000 restaurants across 11 European countries.

American Express has treated dining as a cardholder engagement channel, not a side perk. The company bought Resy in 2019 and Tock in 2024. TheFork adds Europe, where American Express wants more international card spending and more reasons for premium customers to use its products outside travel.

Rafa Marquez, president of international card services at American Express, said dining ranks among the main ways customers interact with the brand.

Tripadvisor gets cash at a time when investors want sharper focus. Activist investor Starboard Value pressed Tripadvisor in October 2025 to sell TheFork after pandemic disruption and competition from Booking Holdings and Airbnb weighed on the company.

TheFork generated $232 million in revenue for the year ended March 31, up 25% from a year earlier, according to Tripadvisor’s earnings report. That growth gave Tripadvisor a stronger asset to sell, but the company has signaled that it wants to invest behind Viator, its marketplace for tours, activities, and attractions.

BTIG analyst Jake Fuller said investors may question Tripadvisor’s plan to use proceeds for experiences investment instead of exploring strategic options for Viator. William Blair analysts said the purchase fits American Express’ strategy of using premium experiences to drive customer engagement.

American Express and Tripadvisor expect the transaction to close before the end of 2026. TheFork will keep its current leadership. Goldman Sachs advised Tripadvisor and TheFork.