TheFork, previously known as La Fourchette, is transforming its platform into a social network across 11 European countries from Tuesday.
This will allow users to see where friends, chefs, and influencers dine and read their reviews and recommendations.
Users will also be encouraged to enhance their profiles with photos and connect their phone contacts to their TheFork account to follow their dining choices.
"TheFork attracts 40 million people who have downloaded the app, and just as many leave reviews monthly. We know people rely much more on recommendations from people they know when choosing a restaurant than on those from strangers," said Damien Rodière, General Manager of TheFork, owned by Tripadvisor, speaking to AFP.
He added, "Our current app is quite transactional, and we aim to make it more personal. This is the first time you’ll see a social network dedicated solely to dining and culinary discovery in restaurants."
The platform will now feature a news feed and allow users to follow chefs and influencers, who might be paid by TheFork for their recommendations, Rodière indicated.
Some of the initial influencers mentioned include Le paris d’Alexis, Liane comme Tarzan, Cyril Montégu, and Imperatrice Wu, known for their culinary expertise and followed by tens of thousands on Instagram.
Simultaneously, TheFork has enhanced its search engine with AI to allow natural language search, making it feel like asking a friend for a restaurant suggestion, Rodière explained.
