S0940, the Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act, creates new section 509.105, Florida Statutes, to regulate third-party reservation platforms for public food service establishments. The bill defines a third-party reservation platform as an online service that offers or arranges reservations for on-premises dining without a contractual relationship with the restaurant or its designee. It also carves out an exception for a customer’s personal, nontransferable designee that makes a reservation at no cost, so long as the restaurant can confirm the booking and opt out of future reservations.
The core prohibition is that a third-party reservation platform may not list, advertise, promote, facilitate, sell, or otherwise enable reservations at a public food service establishment. The bill authorizes the Division of Hotels and Restaurants within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to enforce the law by imposing civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation. Violations can accrue daily and separately for each reservation and each establishment affected. The act takes effect July 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill adds a new regulatory restriction to Florida’s hospitality and restaurant law by limiting unauthorized online reservation resale or brokerage for public food service establishments. It gives the Division of Hotels and Restaurants explicit enforcement authority and establishes a civil penalty structure that can multiply quickly based on the number of days, reservations, and establishments involved. Restaurants gain greater control over who may market or sell access to their reservation inventory, while third-party reservation services that operate without a direct agreement with the restaurant face new legal exposure.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad legislative support and little visible opposition in the available record. It passed every listed committee and floor vote unanimously, including 8-0 in Senate Regulated Industries, 9-0 in Senate Commerce and Tourism, 24-0 in Senate Rules, 37-0 on Senate third reading, and 114-0 on House third reading. That voting pattern suggests the measure was viewed favorably as a consumer- and business-protection bill addressing unauthorized reservation practices.
Contention
No committee transcripts were provided, and the recorded votes show no formal opposition, so there is no documented floor or committee controversy in the available materials. The main policy issue implicit in the bill is the tension between restaurant control over reservations and the business model of third-party reservation platforms. The bill’s exception for customer-designated, nontransferable reservation assistance suggests lawmakers were trying to distinguish legitimate concierge-style services from unauthorized commercial reservation brokering.