quandoo
AcquiredFounded 2012 Β· 186 employees on LinkedIn Β· 5 known investors
Quandoo operates a restaurant reservation platform enabling diners to book tables at restaurants across multiple countries in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and other regions.
Also known as Quandoo GmbH
Investors Β· 5
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Quandoo is a restaurant reservation marketplace and restaurant-management software platform headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Launched in December 2012, it lets diners search for and book tables online while providing restaurants with booking, table and guest-management tools plus digital marketing reach. Its consumer sites operate on a country-by-country basis, with restaurant guides, ratings on a six-point scale, price bands and neighbourhood/cuisine browsing.
The company states it has expanded into 12 countries and seated more than 150 million diners across 18,000+ restaurants; its own homepage advertises over 17,000 restaurants in 11 countries (Australia, Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom). Bookings are distributed not only through Quandoo's own site and app but also through integrated third-party channels including Apple, Facebook, Google Maps, Instagram and WeChat, and through public APIs and widgets that partners can embed in portals and apps.
Quandoo was acquired in 2015 by Japanese group Recruit Holdings. In March 2026, following a strategic portfolio review by Recruit, Quandoo announced it would cease operations entirely across all markets, with a phased wind-down running to the end of 2026.
Founding story
The company was founded in Berlin in 2012 by former Groupon managers and launched its service in December 2012.
Business model
Technology-enabled two-sided marketplace: Quandoo aggregates diner demand and channels reservations to partner restaurants, which in turn use its restaurant technology and digital marketing services. Industry commentary characterises the reservation-platform model as earning per booking routed through the platform, with guest data held by the platform rather than the restaurant.
Traction
Company materials cite more than 150 million diners seated across 18,000+ restaurants since the December 2012 launch, with expansion into 12 countries. The homepage advertises over 17,000 restaurants in 11 countries, while a country site references over 15,000 restaurants in 11 countries.
Latest developments
Quandoo announced on 24 March 2026 that it would cease operations following a strategic portfolio review by parent Recruit Holdings. The platform remains available until 30 September 2026, the last day new bookings are accepted; loyalty points can be earned until 30 June 2026; from 1 October 2026 restaurants lose access to floor plans, shift settings and guest histories; and all infrastructure is to be taken offline on 31 December 2026. Already-confirmed reservations are to be honoured directly between guests and restaurants, while reviews and ratings accumulated on Quandoo's own platform will not be portable.
βΈFull profile β market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
One of the larger European restaurant reservation platforms alongside TheFork (TripAdvisor), OpenTable (Booking Holdings), SevenRooms (DoorDash), Resy and Tock (American Express) and Zenchef (PSG Equity). Commentators note that, like its peers, Quandoo was owned by a corporate parent outside hospitality and describe restaurants as a non-core 'side bet' for Recruit Holdings, a factor cited in the shutdown. Competing vendors including aleno and Eat App have publicly targeted departing Quandoo restaurants.
Technology
A reservation marketplace platform with a documented public API and developer integration options: portal integrations, embeddable booking and discovery widgets (including in-app embedding), direct integration, authentication and attribution schemes, availability checks, reservation and enquiry settings, and webhook notifications. Restaurant-side tooling includes floor plans, shift settings and guest profiles with visit frequency, preferences, allergy notes and VIP flags.
Go-to-market
Diner acquisition through localised country websites, city and cuisine restaurant guides, and an app, plus reservation distribution via integrated external channels such as Apple, Facebook, Google Maps, Instagram and WeChat. Restaurants are onboarded onto booking and back-office tools, and partners can integrate via Quandoo's public API, portal integrations, booking and discovery widgets, and webhook notifications.
Diners booking restaurant tables, and restaurateurs and hospitality operators seeking online reservations, table and guest management, and digital marketing reach.
Geography
Headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Consumer platforms cover 11 countries β Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Finland, Turkey, Netherlands, Singapore and the United Kingdom β while company documentation cites expansion into 12 countries. The announced shutdown affects every market, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK, Italy, Australia and Singapore.
History
Founded in Berlin in 2012 by former Groupon managers and launched in December 2012, Quandoo grew into an international restaurant reservation platform operating across Europe and Asia-Pacific. In 2015 it was acquired by Recruit Holdings of Japan for approximately β¬200 million (reported as $219 million), becoming part of the group's global bookings business. On 24 March 2026 the company announced it would cease operations after a strategic portfolio review by Recruit; loyalty-point accrual ends 30 June 2026, new bookings stop 30 September 2026, back-office access ends 1 October 2026, and all infrastructure is to be taken offline permanently on 31 December 2026. Corporate footers on its sites identify the entity as Quandoo GmbH i.L.
Risks & controversies
The platform is being shut down entirely, creating short-notice migration risk for restaurant customers: loss of the booking channel and platform visibility after 30 September 2026, loss of back-office access from 1 October 2026, and permanent deletion of guest history and Quandoo-hosted reviews when infrastructure is switched off on 31 December 2026 unless data is exported beforehand. Third-party commentary attributes the closure to structural pressure on commission-based marketplace models as demand shifts toward direct bookings via restaurants' own websites and Google, and to restaurants being non-core to the parent company.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources β announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed β not independently audited.
Timeline Β· 5
launches, deals, and filingsPlatform remains available until 30 September 2026; from 1 October 2026 restaurants can no longer manage bookings, floor plans, shift settings or guest notes.
Quandoo announced it would cease operations following a strategic portfolio review by parent Recruit Holdings, affecting all markets including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK, Italy, Australia and Singapore.
Japanese group Recruit Holdings acquired Quandoo for approximately β¬200 million, reported elsewhere as $219 million.
$219M source β
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
βΈResearch sources Β· 8
primary sources listed
- quandooquandoo.com Β· web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does quandoo do?
- Berlin-based restaurant reservation marketplace, owned by Recruit Holdings, winding down operations by end of 2026.
- Who are quandoo's investors?
- quandoo's investors include b10, Cherry Ventures, DN Capital, HV Capital, TA Capital.