Yelp Looks to Expand Beyond Reviews

Yelp, YELP -1.69% the company known for its 5-star-ratings system for businesses, is adding to its roster of services in a bid to uphold its own popularity. The San Francisco-based company started out by giving users a way to see what others have said about a business or what dishes are most popular at a restaurant. Since its founding in 2004, Yelp has amassed some 127 million reviews in areas such as retail, restaurants, home and local services and beauty in more than 30 countries. Now, pressed by rivals such as Google, which includes its own ratings system for local businesses in its search results, Yelp has expanded the services it offers. Users can now make restaurant reservations, get price quotes from businesses, hold a place in line for a restaurant, get food delivered and earn cash from a loyalty program.