Long time restaurant review destination Zagat has been acquired The Infatuation, another restaurant review business. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Google had previously purchased Zagat in 2011 for a reported $151M. “We’re thrilled by this opportunity to acquire such a pioneering and trusted restaurant guide as Zagat,” said Chris Stang, The Infatuation’s Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer. “Iconic brands don’t become available very often, and Zagat is about as iconic as it gets. It is the perfect complement to what we have been building at The Infatuation.”
Zagat, founded in 2009 by Tim and Nina Zagat, was once the go to destination for reviews but the advent of the internet and digital competitors like The Infatuation eroded into the company’s top positioning. Zagat put itself up for sale in 2008 for $200M and found no suitors until Google came in 2011 at a price tag of $151M. Google’s attempt to bring Zagat in the digital era never fully materialized.
Founded by Andrew Steinthal and Chris Stang in 2009, The Infatuation has raised a total of $3.5M in funding. As a result, The Infatuation likely picked up Zagat’s brand and cachet at a price that’s a fraction of what Google paid seven years earlier and Google is likely pleased to have Zagat off the books.