House Bill 90, sponsored by Rep. Troy Hebert (R-Lafayette), would prohibit third-party platforms from listing or selling restaurant reservations unless they have a written agreement with the food service establishment. The bill was approved unanimously by the House Commerce Committee and now heads to the full House for consideration.
The legislation was prompted by complaints from Louisiana restaurants about AI-powered bots and booking services that snap up high-demand reservations and resell them for hundreds or even thousands of dollars online. Hebert pointed to one instance during Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans when a four-top table at a fine dining restaurant was resold for more than $2,000.
“We’re not trying to prevent anyone from operating this kind of business,” Hebert said during the April 15 committee meeting. “All we’re saying is, if you’re going to do it, you need to have the written authorization of the restaurant owner.”
The Louisiana Restaurant Association supports the bill, citing confusion and frustration from diners who unwittingly purchased reservations through unauthorized resellers. LRA President Stan Harris said complaints first surfaced at Commander’s Palace when guests began asking about fees they had paid to third-party sites.
Under the bill, the Louisiana Attorney General would have the authority to fine violators up to $1,000 per violation, per day. All fines collected would go into the state’s consumer protection fund.
A “third-party restaurant reservation platform” is defined in the bill as any website, app, or online service that facilitates reservations at restaurants but is not operated by the restaurant itself. Exceptions are made for platforms that have a contractual relationship with the restaurant.
If passed, the law would add a new section titled the “Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy” provision to the state’s consumer protection statutes.
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