WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

S 4543

Prohibits third-party restaurant reservation service from arranging unauthorized restaurant reservation with food service establishment.

2024-2025 Regular Session Introduced by Kristin Corrado and 2 co-sponsors

Prohibits third-party reservation platforms from booking tables at restaurants without explicit establishment authorization, restricting platform business practices.

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Commerce Committee
#commerce #food
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 4543

Legislative bill overview

S 4543 prohibits third-party restaurant reservation platforms (like OpenTable, Resy, etc.) from making reservations at restaurants without explicit authorization from the establishment. The bill targets situations where reservation services book tables at restaurants that have not agreed to use their platform or have terminated their relationship with the service.

Why is this important

Restaurants have complained that unauthorized reservation platforms create operational chaos by booking tables they cannot fulfill, damaging customer relationships and revenue. For consumers, this means potentially arriving at restaurants with no actual reservation, while platforms argue these services increase restaurant visibility. The issue reflects tension between tech intermediaries and brick-and-mortar businesses over who controls customer access.

Potential points of contention

  • Business model impact: Major reservation platforms derive revenue from restaurants paying commissions; restricting unauthorized bookings could significantly limit their business model and market reach
  • Consumer access vs. restaurant autonomy: The bill prioritizes restaurant control over reservations, but consumers may lose convenient access to restaurants not directly partnering with major platforms
  • Enforcement mechanism: The bill doesn't clearly specify how restaurants prove they didn't authorize a platform, or what penalties apply—enforcement could be complex and costly
  • Small restaurant protection: Unclear whether the bill helps or harms independent restaurants that may benefit from free visibility on platforms versus larger chains managing their own reservations

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.