Toptable

Toptable was a restaurant-booking and restaurant-information brand established in 2000 by entrepreneur Karen Hanton. It was created to give restaurants a way to promote their venues and accept reservations directly from diners through the internet. Rather than functioning only as a reservation form, the service combined restaurant listings with menus, reviews, venue information and, at its peak, 360-degree imagery, allowing users to compare restaurants before booking. The business initially focused on the United Kingdom and became one of the better-known online restaurant reservation services in that market. Its inventory eventually exceeded 5,000 UK restaurants, while the platform also covered selected international destinations including Paris, Dublin and New York City. Toptable reported seating more than 1.5 million diners in 2006, its first full year at that level. The website later attracted approximately 2.3 million visitors per month at its peak, reflecting the expansion of online restaurant search and reservation behavior during the 2000s. Toptable expanded its reach through partnerships and technology distribution. Its booking engine was made available through media, travel and city-information properties including Time Out, British Airways, The Guardian, The Times Online, Visit London and View London. These integrations placed restaurant reservations within websites that already attracted travelers, local residents and readers seeking dining recommendations. In 2006, Toptable acquired City Eating, incorporating London Eating, in an effort to broaden its restaurant content and London coverage. The transaction value was not disclosed. The brand also developed mobile products as restaurant booking shifted toward smartphones. A dedicated Toptable iPhone application launched in February 2010, and an Android application was available by September 2013. The Android availability occurred after OpenTable's acquisition, during the period in which the service's technology and brand presence were being integrated into the acquiring company's wider platform. Toptable attracted backing from a group of notable investors that included football manager Sir Alex Ferguson, chef Gary Rhodes and Diageo. In September 2010, competitor OpenTable acquired Toptable for approximately US$55 million. The purchase brought Toptable's restaurant network, technology and customer reach into OpenTable's international expansion. Toptable is therefore best understood as a historical online reservation brand rather than an active independent company; subsequent references generally describe it in relation to OpenTable.

Toptable was founded in 2000 by Karen Hanton as an online service for restaurant owners and diners. Its original proposition was to help restaurants advertise their venues and accept direct bookings while giving diners a structured way to research places to eat. The platform developed beyond a simple reservation directory by publishing restaurant menus, reviews and other venue information, including 360-degree images for some listings. The company grew in the United Kingdom during the expansion of consumer internet use and online commerce. By 2006, it had seated more than 1.5 million diners during its first full year at that level. Its principal inventory grew to more than 5,000 UK restaurants, and the service added coverage in Paris, Dublin and New York City. At its peak, approximately 2.3 million visitors accessed the website each month. This scale made Toptable both a consumer-facing dining guide and a distribution channel for participating restaurants. Toptable also pursued indirect distribution through third-party websites. It supplied a restaurant booking engine to properties associated with Time Out, British Airways, The Guardian, The Times Online, Visit London and View London. These relationships extended the service into publishing, travel and destination-marketing contexts, where restaurant reservations could be offered alongside editorial content, travel information or city guides. In 2006, Toptable acquired City Eating and incorporated London Eating. The transaction expanded its London-oriented restaurant information and was reported without a disclosed purchase price. The company was supported by investors including Sir Alex Ferguson, Gary Rhodes and Diageo, combining celebrity and industry visibility with corporate backing. As mobile usage developed, Toptable launched a dedicated iPhone application in February 2010. OpenTable, a competing restaurant-reservation company, acquired Toptable in September 2010 for approximately US$55 million. The acquisition ended Toptable's independence and placed its assets and market presence within OpenTable. An Android application was available by September 2013, showing that the Toptable name or service continued to have a mobile presence during the post-acquisition period. Toptable is now a defunct independent brand and is chiefly significant as an early UK online restaurant-booking business that was absorbed by OpenTable.

• 2013

  Android application is available

  [1]Toptableen.wikipedia.org

  An Android version of the service is documented as available by September 2013.

• 2010

  iPhone application launches

  [1]Toptableen.wikipedia.org

  Toptable releases a dedicated iPhone application in February.

• 2010

  OpenTable completes acquisition

  [1]Toptableen.wikipedia.org

  OpenTable acquires Toptable in September for approximately US$55 million.

• 2006

  Toptable reaches more than 1.5 million diners

  [1]Toptableen.wikipedia.org

  The service reports seating more than 1.5 million diners during its first full year at that level.

• 2006

  City Eating is acquired

  [1]Toptableen.wikipedia.org

  Toptable acquires City Eating and incorporates London Eating; the deal value is not disclosed.

• 2000

  Toptable is founded

  [1]Toptableen.wikipedia.org

  Karen Hanton establishes Toptable as an online service through which restaurants can promote themselves and accept direct customer bookings.

A digital restaurant-discovery and reservation intermediary that combined searchable venue information with direct online table booking.

• Online restaurant reservation platform · 2000

  Toptable website

  The core Toptable service combined restaurant discovery with online table booking. Users could review venue information, menus and reviews, compare restaurants and reserve tables. The platform covered more than 5,000 UK restaurants at one stage and also listed venues in Paris, Dublin and New York City.

• Reservation technology

  Toptable booking engine

  Toptable supplied booking functionality to external publishing, travel and city-information websites. The engine was used by properties including Time Out, British Airways, The Guardian, The Times Online, Visit London and View London, allowing those audiences to make restaurant reservations without relying solely on the main Toptable site.

• Mobile applications · 2010

  Toptable mobile applications

  Toptable introduced a dedicated iPhone application in February 2010. An Android application was available by September 2013, extending restaurant discovery and booking to mobile users during the post-acquisition period.

• 2010

  Sell Toptable to OpenTableM&A

  Background

  OpenTable and Toptable operated in the online restaurant-reservation market, with Toptable providing a substantial UK and selected international restaurant network.

  Action taken

  OpenTable acquired Toptable in September 2010 for approximately US$55 million.

  Aftermath

  Toptable ceased to operate as an independent business and became part of OpenTable's international platform. Its service continued to have a documented Android application by September 2013.

  Acquisition price. Approximately US$55 million (September 2010)

  Source

• 2006

  Acquire City EatingM&A

  Background

  Toptable sought to expand its London restaurant information and booking coverage through the purchase of City Eating, which included London Eating.

  Action taken

  The company acquired City Eating and incorporated London Eating into its service.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition broadened Toptable's London-focused content. The transaction value was not disclosed.

  Source

1. 1Toptableen.wikipedia.org