A 3318 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Bans unauthorized restaurant reservation arrangement by third-party reservation service.

This bill (A 3318) prohibits third-party reservation services (like apps or websites) from advertising, listing, or selling reservations for restaurants without a written agreement with the restaurant. It directly affects restaurants (food service establishments) and third-party reservation platforms, requiring explicit permission before they can list a restaurant’s reservations. Violations carry daily civil penalties up to $500 per restaurant per day, and restaurants can sue for damages, attorney fees, or injunctions against unauthorized services. The law aims to prevent third parties from charging customers for reservations they cannot legally offer.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

General Assembly Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Signed May 7, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprint · 3 edits

MINOR

The Senate amended A3318 (third-party restaurant reservation services) on March 23, 2026. The most significant changes are: a new exemption for authorized reservation distribution channels that have contractual relationships with restaurants or their designees, a revised damages provision for food service establishments that now covers losses from unfilled reservations rather than just fees collected, and an effective date changed from three months after enactment to immediate.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed slightly due to the new exemption for authorized reservation distribution channels, which excludes platforms that have a direct or indirect contractual relationship with the restaurant. This means only truly unauthorized listing services are targeted.

SCOPE

Added an explicit exemption: third-party restaurant reservation services do not include 'reservation distribution channels' that are authorized via a contractual relationship with the food service establishment or a contractual designee who obtained distribution rights directly from the establishment. This carves out legitimate booking partners from the bill's restrictions.

ENFORCEMENT

The damages available to a food service establishment changed from 'actual damages not to exceed the total fees collected by the third-party reservation service' to 'actual damages as a result of reservations made by the third-party reservation service that remained unfilled.' This shifts the focus from what the platform collected to what the restaurant lost due to no-shows or unfilled tables.

TIMELINE

The effective date was changed from 'the first day of the third month next following the date of enactment' (a 90-day delay) to 'immediately,' meaning the law would take effect upon signing with no waiting period.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Mar 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Assembly (Passed Both Houses) (68-0-1)

lower

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed by the Senate (38-0)

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate Amendment (38-0) (Corrado)

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed by the Assembly (72-0-2)

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading

lower

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee

lower

4 primary · 3 co-sponsors