Illinois State Rep. Margaret Croke highlighted the rising issue of reselling restaurant reservations through Appointment Trader, which has developed a black market for popular dining spots. Frustrated by her own struggles to book a table, Croke proposed the Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act to outlaw third-party sales without restaurant consent. The legislation aims to combat scalping practices that exploit automated bots, depriving genuine customers of access to reservations. Similar regulations are under consideration in multiple states, following New York's example to protect consumers and ensure equitable access to dining experiences.
It's something that I don't think a lot of people know is happening. They just think that this reservation is tough to get or that you have to know someone... I thought that was insane.
The Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act would bar third parties from listing, advertising, promoting, or selling reservations for restaurants through a website, app, or any other platform without a written agreement.
Scalpers make reservations scarce, using bots that swarm reservation sites. As a result, normal customers miss out on scoring a table.
Lawmakers are considering legislation, following New York's lead with measures that would make selling restaurant reservations illegal.
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