It seems that Google, whose $500 million bid was once famously spurned by Yelp, went and bought the original model: As of today Tim and Nina Zagat have sold their 30-year-old baby, Zagat Survey, to the Googleplex. No word on how much the company, which went on and then off the market during the height of the recession and has been called doomed by many, sold for, but the company's large database of high-end user preferences will certainly be a boon for the the advertising giant's algorithms. And we're sure the Burgundy bible's omnipresent window stickering campaigners can teach Google Places a thing or two.
According to Google "Zagat will be a cornerstone of our local offering" though they aren't offering much details beyond that. Presumably the Survey, which came out of the Zagat's healthy appetites as lawyers in Paris and became an iconic part of New York life in the 80s (see: American Psycho), will live on in some form or another, but we're going out on a limb to say that we'll all be seeing less of those skinny books in stores in the coming years.
While we try and figure out what—like a double rainbow—all this actually means, here's Tim and Nina Zagat's PR speak side of the story:
We are writing to share the most exciting news in our 32 years in business. Zagat Survey has been acquired by another great company, Google.
From the beginning, Zagat Survey has empowered people by providing a vehicle for them to express their opinions. After spending time with Google senior management discussing our mutual goals, we know they share our belief in user-generated content and our commitment to accuracy and fairness in providing users with the information needed to make smart decisions about where to eat, shop and travel.
It is a testament to the knowledgeable consumers who contribute their opinions that Zagat Survey has become an internationally respected symbol of quality. Their experiences, distilled into numerical ratings and concise, witty, quote-filled reviews, will continue to provide accurate guidance for a wide range of leisure activities.
These achievements result from the passion and hard work of our talented team. We believe this union is the right next step for our employees, our users and for our business, all of which will benefit from the additional resources and reach that Google provides. Going forward, we will remain active in the business as co-Chairs, helping to ensure that the combination of Zagat’s and Google’s assets and capabilities will maximize our product quality and growth.
Google delivers the most relevant and high-quality information, and it's the perfect home for our content.
We are thrilled to see our baby placed in such good hands and to start today as official “Googlers.”
Tim and Nina
