Resy to close UK business this year

Resy-to-close-UK-business-this-year.jpg

Online booking platform Resy is to close its UK arm later this year in order to concentrate on its wider international business.

In a letter sent to businesses that use the Resy platform, which has been seen by Restaurant, it states that users have until 31 August 2024 to offboard from Resy.

It adds that users can choose to cancel Resy at any time before the end of August and will also be able to continue using the platform ‘at no cost’ until their offboarding date.

“For so long as your restaurant remains ‘live’ on Resy, your guests can continue to make reservations on Resy as usual, and any existing reservations won’t be affected,” the letter continues.

“We will also assist you with retrieving your guestbook data and notify list to help ensure that any reservations made after your offboarding date are managed seamlessly.”

Resy was founded in 2014 by Ben Leventhal, co-founder of Eater; Michael Montero, co-founder of CrowdTwist; and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk.

It launched into the UK in 2017, the same year that the company raised $13m from Airbnb, First Data Corporation and earlier investors RSE Ventures and Lerer Hippeau Ventures.

In 2019, American Express acquired Resy and integrated it into its mobile app as an offering for some rewards card members.

Approximately 16,000 restaurants globally could be booked through Resy as of 2023, according to Eater New York.