CHAPTER 69. RESTAURANT RESERVATION ANTI-PIRACY

§3291. Restaurant reservation anti-piracy

            A. For the purposes of this Section, the following terms have the following meanings:

            (1) "Food service establishment" means a restaurant, cafeteria, lunch room, food stand, saloon, tavern, bar, lounge, or other similar facility operated as an enterprise engaged in the business of selling food to the public.

            (2) "Third-party restaurant reservation platform" means any website, mobile application, or other internet service that meets both of the following:

            (a) Offers or arranges for reserving on-premises service for a customer at a food service establishment.

            (b) Is owned and operated by a person other than the person who owns the food service establishment.

            B. A third-party restaurant reservation platform shall not list, advertise, promote, or sell reservations for a food service establishment through the website, mobile application, or other internet service of such third-party restaurant reservation platform if the platform has no contractual relationship or agreement with the food service establishment, or its contractual designee, to offer or arrange for reservations for on-premises service at such food service establishment.

            C.(1) The attorney general may impose a civil penalty on a third-party restaurant reservation platform in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars for each violation of this Section. Violations of this Section accrue on a daily basis for each day and for each food service establishment in which there has been a violation of this Section.

            (2) All monies received from the payment of a civil penalty imposed and collected pursuant to the provisions of this Subsection shall be used by the attorney general to promote consumer protection and education.

            (3) The attorney general may seek restitution to a person who paid for a reservation from a third-party restaurant reservation platform that does not have a contractual relationship or agreement with the food service establishment. The restitution shall not exceed the amount actually paid by the person to the third-party restaurant reservation platform.

            Acts 2025, No. 135, §1.