New Jersey is cracking down on third-party restaurant reservation services that scoop up tables and resell them without permission, because apparently, even dinner needed a black market.
Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed A3318, the Senate committee substitute for S1193 and S1197, a measure that bars third-party reservation services from advertising, listing, promoting or selling reservations for a restaurant unless they have a written agreement with the business.
The bill is aimed at stopping outside platforms from profiting off restaurants without consent or transparency. Supporters say the practice can leave restaurants dealing with distorted bookings, inflated resale prices and empty tables when reservations fail to sell and are canceled at the last minute.
“We’ve seen reservation scalping during major sporting events around the country and as New Jersey prepares to host the World Cup, we’re taking action to prevent that from occurring here in the Garden State,” New Jersey Sen. Kristin Corrado, R-Bergen/Essex/Passaic, said in a release. “Third-party reservation brokers have sold tables that they do not own for outrageous prices, often without the knowledge of a restaurant or small business. This new law protects patrons from price-gouging and ensures that the benefit of major events goes to our local businesses, not opportunistic middlemen.”
Under the new law, violators can face civil penalties of up to $500 per violation, with penalties accruing daily for each affected food service establishment. Restaurants and consumers harmed by unauthorized listings can also seek injunctive relief and damages in Superior Court.
Third-party reservation marketplaces have become more visible in recent years, as hard-to-get tables at popular restaurants have become another thing for opportunists to flip. In some cases, reservations are listed at steep markups even though the restaurant itself never authorized the sale and may not know the reservation is being brokered.
The issue gained national attention during the 2025 Super Bowl in New Orleans, when a third-party service sold a restaurant reservation for more than $2,000. The episode helped spur similar legislation in states including Illinois and New York.
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