I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 9601 

To prohibit third-party restaurant reservation services from offering or arranging unauthorized reservations for food service establishments, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 16, 2024 

Mr. D’ESPOSITO (for himself and Mr. GOTTHEIMER) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To prohibit third-party restaurant reservation services from 

offering or arranging unauthorized reservations for food 

service establishments, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Supporting Equal Ac5 cess to Tables Act of 2024’’ or the ‘‘SEAT Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON THIRD-PARTY RESTAURANT RES7 ERVATION SERVICES. 

8 (a) REQUIREMENT.—A provider of a third-party res9 taurant reservation service may only list, promote, sell, or 


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1 otherwise advertise or make available a reservation for a 

2 food service establishment if there is a written agreement 

3 between such service and such establishment that permits 

4 such service to list, promote, sell, or otherwise advertise 

5 or make available such reservation. 

6 (b) ENFORCEMENT BY COMMISSION.— 

7 (1) UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACTS OR PRAC8 TICES.—A violation of this section shall be treated 

9 as a violation of a regulation under section 

10 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act 

11 (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)) regarding unfair or decep12 tive acts or practices. 

13 (2) POWERS OF COMMISSION.—The Commis14 sion shall enforce this section in the same manner, 

15 by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, 

16 powers, and duties as though all applicable terms 

17 and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act 

18 (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and 

19 made a part of this section. Any person who violates 

20 this section shall be subject to the penalties and en21 titled to the privileges and immunities provided in 

22 the Federal Trade Commission Act. 

23 (c) APPLICABILITY.—This section shall apply to a 

24 provider of a third-party restaurant reservation service beVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:27 Sep 21, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H9601.IH H9601

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1 ginning on the date that is 180 days after the date of 

2 the enactment of this Act. 

3 (d) INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS.—An agreement 

4 entered into pursuant to subsection (a) may not include 

5 a provision that requires a food service establishment to 

6 indemnify a third-party restaurant reservation service, any 

7 independent contractor acting on behalf of such third8 party restaurant reservation service, or any registered 

9 agent of such third-party restaurant reservation service 

10 for any damages or harm by an act or omission initiated 

11 by the third-party restaurant reservation service. If an 

12 agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (a) con13 tains such a provision, such provision shall be deemed void 

14 and unenforceable. 

15 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

16 (1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

17 means the Federal Trade Commission. 

18 (2) FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT.—The 

19 term ‘‘food service establishment’’— 

20 (A) means a restaurant, food stand, food 

21 truck, food cart, saloon, inn, tavern, bar, 

22 lounge, brewpub, tasting room, taproom, li23 censed facility or premise of a beverage alcohol 

24 producer where the public may taste, sample, or 

25 purchase products, or other similar place of 


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1 business in or at which the public or patrons 

2 assemble for the primary purpose of being 

3 served food or drink; and 

4 (B) includes an entity described in sub5 paragraph (A) that is located in a larger estab6 lishment or complex, including an airport ter7 minal or other transportation facility, amuse8 ment park, sports stadium, entertainment 

9 venue, hotel or hotel complex, or retail store or 

10 retail complex. 

11 (3) THIRD-PARTY RESTAURANT RESERVATION

12 SERVICE.—The term ‘‘third-party restaurant res13 ervation service’’ means any website, mobile applica14 tion, or other internet-based service that— 

15 (A) lists, promotes, sells, or otherwise ad16 vertises or makes available reservations for on17 premises service for a customer at a food serv18 ice establishment; and 

19 (B) is provided by a person other than the 

20 person who provides such food service establish21 ment. 

Æ 


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