Story perspectives

American Express to Acquire TheFork for $700 Million

7/24/2026

Summary

Story summary

American Express agreed to buy TheFork, TripAdvisor’s restaurant-booking platform, for $700 million cash, targeting a year-end close.
American Express posted Q2 2026 EPS of $4.53, beating the $4.40 estimate, with revenue rising 10% YoY to $19.64 billion.
Card-member spending grew 9% FX-adjusted to $455.8 billion, while the Platinum Card fee rose from $695 to $895 with $3,500-plus in credits and full-year revenue guidance was raised to 10% as EPS guidance stayed $17.30-$17.90.

History

Historical Context

OpenTable, founded July 2 1998, grew to over 55,000 restaurants worldwide and went public in 2009. After Priceline (later Booking Holdings) bought Booking.com in 2005 and rebranded in 2014, it acquired OpenTable for $2.6 billion in June 2014, marking a major travel-tech consolidation. The 2026 $700 million American Express purchase of TheFork continues the pattern of payment firms buying reservation platforms to expand dining-spend ecosystems.

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Story summary

American Express agreed to buy TheFork, TripAdvisor’s restaurant-booking platform, for $700 million cash, targeting a year-end close.
American Express posted Q2 2026 EPS of $4.53, beating the $4.40 estimate, with revenue rising 10% YoY to $19.64 billion.
Card-member spending grew 9% FX-adjusted to $455.8 billion, while the Platinum Card fee rose from $695 to $895 with $3,500-plus in credits and full-year revenue guidance was raised to 10% as EPS guidance stayed $17.30-$17.90.

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