Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo Invests $30 Million In Restaurant Recommendation Service The Infatuation

Restaurant recommendation service The Infatuation received a $30 million investment from WndrCo, the media holding company co-founded by Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg.

The Infatuation was a passion project for two former music industry executives, Chris Stang and Andrew Steinthal, who were looking for a way to recommend restaurants and bars to friends. Since its founding in 2009, it has expanded to more than two dozen cities.

The service has created a novel way of reaching hungry consumers, via the Web, Instagram (under the hashtag #EEEEEATS), and via a text messaging service called Text Rex. The Infatuation also hosts and produces more than 50 community events annually, including its large-scale food festival, EEEEEATSCON.

WndrCo’s investment will reportedly help The Infatuation expand into more cities, improve its technology and venture into the user-generated content space. The Infatuation will look to build out its own brand, and that of the legendary restaurant review brand, Zagat, which it acquired in March from Google.

“The unique opportunity ahead for The Infatuation created a need for an investment partner whose approach was founder-friendly and offered a commitment to a long-term time horizon, which we believe to be instrumental for success,” The Infatuation’s CEO, Chris Stang, said in a statement.

WndrCo is a holding company that invests in, acquires, develops and operates consumer technology businesses for the long term. Founded by media and technology veterans Katzenberg, Ann Daly and Sujay Jaswa, and is co-headquartered in Los Angeles and San Francisco.