The Independent Restaurant Coalition celebrates the Introduction of the Supporting Equal Access to Tables Act of 2024 (SEAT Act)
Proposed legislation seeks to safeguard independent restaurants by eliminating unfair reservation practices and restoring equal access for customers
Washington, D.C. (September 16, 2024) – The Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC) applauds the introduction of the Supporting Equal Access to Tables Act of 2024 (SEAT Act) by Representative Anthony D’Esposito (NY-04) and Representative Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), which represents a significant step forward in protecting not only the rights and interests of independent restaurants and bars across the country, but most importantly, it protects their customers. This legislation addresses a growing concern in the hospitality industry: the unauthorized use of third party reservation services, often in the form of bots, which have created unnecessary challenges for small business owners and disrupted the dining experiences of countless customers.
“The IRC is grateful to Representatives D’Esposito and Gottheimer for championing this important issue and recognizing the unique challenges faced by independent restaurants,” says Erika Polmar, executive director, IRC “We strongly urge Congress to pass the SEAT Act of 2024 swiftly and ensure that independent restaurants and bars can continue to serve their communities with the autonomy and integrity that defines our industry.”
“The SEAT Act is a good piece of bipartisan legislation that will go a long way toward safeguarding restaurants here in New York’s 4th District and across the United States from predatory third party organizations hellbent on profiting off the backs of hard-working entrepreneurs in the food service space,” says Representative Anthony D’Esposito (NY-04). “I will continue advocating for our small business community against these predatory organizations, and I urge my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to support this legislation.”
“Hard-working Americans should be able to dine at their favorite restaurants without competing with a robot for a reservation. I’m proud to co-lead the bipartisan SEAT Act with my friend and Problem Solvers Caucus colleague, Anthony D’Esposito, which would put an end to third-party restaurant reservation scams,” says Representative Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “These scams hurt families and restaurant owners. This commonsense bill will help downtowns around Jersey.”
For too long, independent restaurants have struggled with third party reservation platforms that list and sell reservations without the consent or knowledge of the establishments themselves. This practice not only undermines the control that restaurant owners have over their own seating and booking processes, but also leads to confusion and frustration among diners who are often unaware of the origins of their reservations.
The SEAT Act of 2024 rightly prohibits third party reservation services from offering or arranging reservations without a clear, written agreement with the restaurant. This crucial protection ensures that restaurants maintain control over their own tables, allowing them to manage customer flow, maintain high service standards, and avoid the financial pitfalls that unauthorized reservations can cause.
Furthermore, the SEAT Act protects independent restaurants from being liable for the actions of third parties by voiding so-called indemnification clauses in contracts. This legislation places the responsibility squarely where it belongs—on the third-party service providers themselves and frees restaurants and their customers to continue their relationships.
“As an independent restaurant owner, it’s impossible for us to tackle the issue of bots ourselves. When we look at the reservation software, we have no way of knowing which reservations were made by bots and which reservations were secured by real people nor do we have the extra hands or wherewithal to ferret out bots,” says Rob Mosher, Partner, Monteverde, Chicago. “We need legislation in place to help protect independent restaurant owners. When someone goes to a concert, they pre-pay for a ticket. If they don’t show up, the venue and the artist still get paid. At a restaurant, we don’t often work with a pre-paid, ticketed model. If someone doesn’t show up for a reservation, we lose out on revenue. If bots snag up all the reservations and there are no shows, not only is the restaurant out money but so are the staff members who rely on tips. No one is making money – it’s a lose-lose proposition.”
About the Independent Restaurant Coalition
In March 2020, the restaurant and bar community formed the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC) to save the independent restaurants and bars from the devastating impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic. We continue to fight to create meaningful change for independent restaurants and bars nationwide by providing strong advocacy centered on making sure that independent businesses are being seen, heard and supported by federal policy makers.
Press Contact: Sarah Abell & Paige Hettinger, [email protected]