Florida is taking the lead to protect restaurants from black-market reservations and to stop unauthorized reservation reselling.
The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA) applauded Republican Governor Ron DeSantis for signing what they described as critical legislation that will protect restaurants from the growing problem of third-party reservation piracy.
The legislation – SB 940 by Senator Stan McClain, an Ocala Republican, and HB 543 by Representative Vanessa Oliver, a Punta Gorda Republican – was championed by FRLA and passed with bipartisan support to combat a deceptive and growing practice that has caused widespread harm to consumers and hospitality businesses in Florida and across the nation.
“Black-market reservation platforms are hijacking the dining experience in Florida,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of FRLA. “These unauthorized actors add no value – they simply inflate costs, damage reputations, and leave restaurants with empty tables, unpaid servers, and frustrated guests. We are proud to have worked with Senator McClain and Representative Oliver to get this bill passed, and we are grateful to Governor DeSantis for his prompt attention to sign the bill and put a stop to this predatory practice, protecting Florida restaurants, servers, and customers.”
Across the country, tech-savvy scalpers and unauthorized third-party platforms have been using bots to grab reservations at in-demand restaurants, then reselling them online or via social media – often at steep prices. This practice has led to customer frustration as legitimate guests are blocked from making direct reservations or are being duped into paying for something that should be free. It has also increased no-shows when reservations go unsold but are never canceled, costing restaurants critical revenue and depriving servers of expected tips.
“We’re thrilled to see this important legislation signed into law by the governor in Florida,” said Pablo Rivero, CEO of Resy and Tock, SVP of American Express Global Dining. “It’s a critical step in stopping the exploitative practices that hurt these small businesses and their customers and keeping reservations where they belong—with restaurants and real guests.”
Further, these practices have caused significant brand damage and operational chaos as restaurants are left to manage angry guests and reputational fallout from a process entirely outside their control.
“The signing of the Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act into Florida law is a major win for restaurants and the broader hospitality industry,” said Debby Soo, CEO of Open Table. “With such slim profit margins, restaurants need every safeguard possible to protect their business operations and financial stability — the very areas most impacted by reservation piracy. We’re optimistic that other states will recognize the importance of this legislation and take similar action.”
“In recent years, black-market reservations have become an increasing challenge for restaurant operators and customers in destination dining cities around the country,” said Mike Whatley, Vice President of State Affairs and Grassroots Advocacy for the National Restaurant Association. “Black-market reservations create confusion for customers, make dining out more expensive, and cause operational chaos for operators. The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association’s advocacy on behalf of their members resulted in this important law, which will give restaurant operators back control over their own reservations.”
The new law, which takes effect July 1, 2025, makes it illegal to sell restaurant reservations without the restaurant’s explicit consent, ensuring that restaurants have full control over how and where their reservations are booked. Violations, defined as each day for each reservation for each establishment, will result in penalties of $1,000 a day for each violation.
PHOTO: L-R: Drew McLeod, Savour; Walt Dover; Carol Dover, FRLA; Governor Ron DeSantis; Ashley Chaney, Hayward House Bistro; Dave Reid, The Edison Restaurant; Jesse Remiyac, Connors Steak & Seafood
