SAN FRANCISCO and NEEDHAM, Mass., Nov. 03, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Social dining service EatWith and travel planning and booking site TripAdvisor today announced that EatWith has raised a new round of funding led by TripAdvisor and with participation from Greylock Partners. The amount of funding will not be disclosed.

This latest investment will support EatWith's global growth and expansion as the company continues its mission of connecting people around the world through unique dining experiences. The platform allows travelers to book a seat at the table of a host, typically a local chef who prepares a meal for the group in a private setting such as their own kitchen. EatWith spans more than 200 global cities, and offers access to more than 650 hosts across 50 countries.

"The investment funding we've received from TripAdvisor and Greylock Partners will be instrumental in driving even more interest in our popular communal dining experiences," said Susan Kim, CEO of EatWith. "Our goal is to continue to democratize the industry by matching adventurous travelers with culinary entrepreneurs who want to share their passion for food."

A growing number of consumers are using EatWith to book intimate dining experiences. The company has helped fill more than 80,000 seats since its founding.

"EatWith is a truly innovative service that helps travelers dine like a local, and we're excited to help support their efforts through an investment that will also help us expand our leadership position in the restaurant category," said Bertrand Jelensperger, global head of TripAdvisor restaurants and lafourchette CEO. "Breaking bread with someone in their own kitchen is such a powerful way to learn about a culture and make new friends that we've decided to integrate EatWith into our TripAdvisor Restaurants pages. Now our users will be able to book EatWith experiences in cities around the world."

How TripAdvisor's EatWith Integration Works

For years, TripAdvisor has allowed travelers to seamlessly book a wide range of travel experiences, from lodging and flights to restaurants and things to do. Now when travelers visit TripAdvisor's restaurants pages they will be able to research social dining options under a new "Dine with a Local Chef" category and click through to EatWith to complete the booking.

The new social dining options on TripAdvisor will also feature candid traveler reviews and photos to help travelers shop for the right experience for their trip.

The EatWith integration will begin rolling out today on the TripAdvisor desktop site in all countries where TripAdvisor operates, and will support 10 cities at launch. A rollout to TripAdvisor mobile and additional markets will follow.

About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor^® is the world's largest travel site*, enabling travelers to unleash the full potential of every trip. TripAdvisor offers advice from millions of travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools that check hundreds of websites to find the best hotel prices. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, reaching 350 million average monthly unique visitors**, and reached 385 million reviews and opinions covering 6.6 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 48 markets worldwide. TripAdvisor: Know better. Book better. Go better.

TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP), through its subsidiaries, manages and operates websites under 24 other travel media brands:
www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.citymaps.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, www.iens.nl and www.dimmi.com.au), www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.housetrip.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travelpod.com, www.tripbod.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, www.viator.com, and www.virtualtourist.com.

*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, May 2016

**Source: TripAdvisor log files, Q2 2016

About EatWith
EatWith is a social dining platform connecting people through unique dining experiences around the world. Whether you're exploring your own town or traveling to a new city, EatWith is an easy way to access the underground food scene and connect with creative, open-minded and interesting people. With an effort to democratize the food industry, EatWith is creating economic opportunity for culinary entrepreneurs who want to share their passion and monetize their craft. To learn more visit www.eatwith.com.

CONTACT:
Kevin Carter
(781) 800-5237
kcarter@tripadvisor.com

Tara Wagner 
press@eatwith.com