Diningcity
Diningcity (Dinestar B.V.) is a Netherlands-based online restaurant guide and deals marketplace, founded in 1998, where diners discover discounted multi-course menus and book tables at partner restaurants across all major Dutch cities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Diningcity does
Diningcity, legally Dinestar B.V., is a Netherlands-headquartered online restaurant guide and deals platform founded in 1998 in Amsterdam. The company operates a consumer-facing marketplace where diners discover restaurants across all major Dutch cities, view discounted multi-course menus (typically 20-50% off standard pricing), and book tables online with specified party sizes and time slots. The platform covers the full price spectrum, from casual neighborhood venues to Michelin-starred restaurants, and is available in both Dutch and English.
The business operates a two-sided marketplace with a portfolio of complementary brands. On the supply side, partner restaurants (ranging from local SMBs to fine-dining establishments) list discounted multi-course deal menus to drive off-peak table fill. On the demand side, individual consumers search and reserve via the website. The company earns revenue through transaction-based commissions on these deals, with pay-as-you-go economics and no disclosed subscription or listing fees. Surrounding the core Dinestar platform, the company runs an ecosystem of related brands — Nationale Restaurant Week, Dining with the Stars (fine dining promotions), Restaurant Dinercheque (gift vouchers), Cheflix Kookboek (cookbook service) — and a Belgian regional variant, Dinestar België. Marketing is conducted via weekly email newsletters, SEO-optimized city landing pages, social media, and a content blog. There is no disclosed external investment, and the legal entity operates as a privately held Dutch BV.
Diningcity firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Diningcity
- Legal name
- Dinestar B.V.
- Website
- https://diningcity.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Diningcity (Dinestar B.V.) is a Netherlands-based online restaurant guide and deals marketplace, founded in 1998, where diners discover discounted multi-course menus and book tables at partner restaurants across all major Dutch cities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Diningcity industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Restaurant Deals & Reservation Platform
- akta.pro primary industry
- Restaurant Reservations & Dining Booking Platforms (BPAMAIAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Dining Reservations & Restaurant Booking (HSACALAF)
Keywords
Where Diningcity is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Diningcity business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Restaurant Deal Commissions: Dinestar earns revenue by facilitating restaurant deals where diners receive discounts (20-50%) at participating restaurants. The platform enables restaurants to attract customers through discounted menus, with Dinestar acting as the intermediary for reservations and deals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Restaurant Deal Commissions - Platform takes a transaction fee on restaurant deals |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Diningcity product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Diningcity (operating as Dinestar) runs an online restaurant guide and deals marketplace for the Netherlands and Belgium. Diners discover partner restaurants, browse discounted multi-course menus (typically 20-50% off), and make table reservations through the platform. Revenue is earned via commissions on the deals booked, with an extended brand portfolio covering restaurant week events, fine-dining promotions, gift vouchers, and cookbooks.
Product overview
Dinestar (formerly Diningcity) operates as a restaurant reservation and deals platform with a multi-brand portfolio. The core platform offers restaurant table reservations with discounted multi-course menus at partner restaurants across the Netherlands. The company runs several related dining event brands including Nationale Restaurant Week, Dining with the Stars, Restaurant Dinercheque, and Cheflix Kookboek. The platform covers all major Dutch cities and supports both Dutch and English languages, with a separate Belgian operation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Nationale Restaurant Week: Restaurant week promotion platform
- Dining with the Stars
- Restaurant Dinercheque
- Cheflix Kookboek
Products and services
- Dinestar (Diningcity) Platform Core restaurant reservation and deals platform offering discounts of up to 50% at partner restaurants across the Netherlands. Diners browse restaurants by location, cuisine, and price range and book tables with discounted multi-course menus.
- Nationale Restaurant Week A signature restaurant week event where participating restaurants offer special prix-fixe menus at discounted rates.
- Dining with the Stars A restaurant event featuring Michelin-starred and fine dining restaurants at accessible price points.
- Restaurant Dinercheque Restaurant gift voucher and cheque service for dining experiences.
- Cheflix Kookboek A cookbook platform featuring recipes and culinary content.
- Dinestar België The Belgian version of the Dinestar restaurant deals platform operating in Belgium.
Companies that use Diningcity
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Diningcity technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Diningcity partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Restaurant Week (Nationale Restaurant Week)coreDinestar operates related brands including Nationale Restaurant Week, Dining with the Stars, Restaurant Dinercheque, Cheflix Kookboek, and Dinestar België as part of their ecosystem of restaurant dining platforms.
- Dining with the StarscorePart of the Dinestar platform family, offering special dining experiences similar to Restaurant Week campaigns.
- Restaurant DinerchequeminorSister brand offering restaurant diner cheques as part of the broader Dinestar restaurant ecosystem.
- Dinestar BelgiëminorBelgian version of the platform, expanding the Dinestar restaurant deal model to Belgium.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Diningcity competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TheFork: TheFork (owned by Tripadvisor) is the leading restaurant reservation platform across Europe. It directly competes with Dinestar in the Netherlands and Belgium with a broader restaurant inventory, mobile app, and significantly larger marketing budget.
- Quandoo: Quandoo is a restaurant reservation marketplace operating across multiple European countries including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. Comparable to Dinestar through its dual-sided marketplace model and focus on European markets.
- ResDiary: ResDiary is a restaurant reservation and table management platform serving restaurants across Europe, Asia, and Australasia. Comparable to Dinestar as a restaurant-side booking software provider serving SMB restaurants in similar markets.
- Eet.nu: Eet.nu is a Dutch restaurant review and recommendation site with reservation features. Direct competitor to Dinestar in the Netherlands for diner discovery and booking decisions.
Broad incumbents
- OpenTable: OpenTable (owned by Booking Holdings) is the global leader in online restaurant reservations, primarily operating in North America and parts of Europe. It competes indirectly in the Dutch market through its global scale, diner reviews, and loyalty programs.
- Resy: Resy (owned by American Express) is a premium restaurant reservation platform with strong positioning in the US. Comparable to Dinestar's premium fine-dining brand 'Dining with the Stars' through its curated high-end restaurant partnerships.
- Yelp: Yelp is a major local business discovery platform that includes restaurant reviews and reservations functionality. It competes indirectly through diner discovery and recommendation traffic that Dinestar also relies on.
Emerging players
- SevenRooms: SevenRooms is a restaurant CRM and reservation platform serving hospitality operators globally. Comparable to Dinestar through its restaurant-side SaaS offering and diner data analytics capabilities.
- Tock: Tock is a reservation platform specializing in unique dining experiences, tasting menus, and chef-driven restaurants. Comparable to Dinestar's 'Dining with the Stars' fine-dining positioning through its premium experience focus.
Regional players
- BookDinners: BookDinners is a Dutch-focused restaurant deals and reservation platform offering discounted dining experiences. Directly comparable to Dinestar's discount-led model and Netherlands-only geographic scope.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Diningcity social profiles
Digital presenceDiningcity financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Diningcity leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Diningcity funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Diningcity M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Diningcity
What does Diningcity do?
Diningcity (operating as Dinestar) runs an online restaurant guide and deals marketplace for the Netherlands and Belgium. Diners discover partner restaurants, browse discounted multi-course menus (typically 20-50% off), and make table reservations through the platform. Revenue is earned via commissions on the deals booked, with an extended brand portfolio covering restaurant week events, fine-dining promotions, gift vouchers, and cookbooks.
Is Diningcity a public or private company?
Diningcity is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Diningcity founded?
Diningcity was founded in 1998. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Diningcity based?
Diningcity is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Diningcity make money?
One revenue line is on record: restaurant Deal Commissions.
Who are Diningcity's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TheFork, Quandoo, ResDiary and Eet.nu. Broad incumbents are OpenTable, Resy and Yelp. Emerging players are SevenRooms and Tock. BookDinners is listed as a regional player.
Does Diningcity have an API?
No public API is recorded for Diningcity.
What industry is Diningcity in?
Diningcity's product category is Online Restaurant Deals & Reservation Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAIAK, Restaurant Reservations & Dining Booking Platforms, with a secondary code of HSACALAF, Dining Reservations & Restaurant Booking.