TheFork and Mastercard Form Partnership for ‘Booming Experience Economy’

Mastercard and restaurant reservation platform TheFork are teaming up to serve cardholders a better dining experience.

The multiyear partnership, which will launch next year, will enable eligible cardholders worldwide to gain access to exclusive benefits, Mastercard said in a Wednesday (Nov. 6) news release.

Within Europe, cardholders get “special, always-on access” to reservations as well as a range of exclusive, culinary-centered experiences through priceless.com and TheFork platform.

“Europe has always been a top culinary destination, with visitors from around the world enjoying the incredible range in cuisine. … Our partnership with TheFork allows us to deepen our commitment to bringing cardholders closer to their passion for the culinary arts,” said Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer at Mastercard.

“We’re thrilled to enter this partnership with Mastercard and to further strengthen our position as the leading partner for the restaurant industry in Europe,” said Jose Noguer, chief marketing officer of TheFork. “We are committed to expanding our ability to offer exceptional and unique dining experiences across all our markets, and we’re excited to bring these experiences to Mastercard cardholders.”

This tie-up comes as card issuers increasingly see restaurant booking platforms as a key opportunity to boost consumer spending, as PYMNTS reported Oct. 4.

PYMNTS pointed to Visa, which partnered with ResTech company OpenTable in July and debuted the “Visa Dining Collection.” The partnership offers eligible Visa cardholders “exclusive access” to restaurant reservations and events, and rewards diners for using their cards at these restaurants. The program is set to expand into dozens of cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico over 20025, spanning hundreds of restaurants.

In a similar move, American Express moved to acquire restaurant reservation and management platform Resy in 2019, and bought technology providers Tock and Rooam in 2024 to expand its suite of digital tools for restaurants.

Speaking to investors during an earnings call, Amex CEO Steve Squeri said the “Resy dining reservation platform has seen significant growth since its acquisition in 2019, and our planned acquisitions of Tock and Rooam will further expand our dining portfolio, giving our customers access to more great restaurants and increasing the digital offerings we provide to restaurants and merchants in the food and beverage industry.”

The post TheFork and Mastercard Form Partnership for ‘Booming Experience Economy’ appeared first on PYMNTS.com.