That dark 'cherry' finish is usually done to mimic the aged opatina cherry achieves over years of exposure to time. Actual new cherry wood is quite light colored---aging naturally to darker tones.

The other thing manufacturers do is use a different wood---birch/beech/etc----and use a many step finishing process to achieve that dark finish. That type of product is usually sold as having a cherry finish and the wording is often ambiguous enough to fool sole folks. A friend of mine got fooled that way. Her furniture is quite well made, very sturdy, beautiful---just not made with cherry.

That kind of finish will chip off, as there can be as many as fourteen or more steps in the actual finishing process. It is very difficult to repair---since anything short of the actual process makes a different final color. You might try paint sticks---found in the stain section of paint stores/home improvement stores. Or take the table to an expereinced refinisher/restorer.