Why Amex Spent $700 Million on TheFork and What’s Next for Tripadvisor

American Express just dropped seven hundred million dollars on TheFork — that’s Tripadvisor’s restaurant reservation platform. Why? Because dining is how Amex keeps you swiping.

This week’s deal isn’t about forks and knives — it’s about data. Amex wants to know where you eat, when you book, and how to get you in the door with perks. For Tripadvisor, this is a cash injection and a pivot.

They’re offloading a side dish to focus on their main course: travel planning. What’s next? More integration between your Amex card and your dinner table.

If you travel to eat, this changes the game.