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Quebec restaurants can officially charge you for ditching a reservation starting this month

<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/restaurant-reflection-blur-reflection-in-a-restaurant-windows-in-downtown-montreal-quebec-canada-taken-from-a-driver-seat.jpg?id=61142115&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=132%2C0%2C132%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>Flaking on your <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/tag/montreal-restaurants" target="_blank">restaurant reservation in Quebec</a> could soon cost you.</p><p>Starting July 17, restaurants across the province will be allowed to charge a $10 no-show fee when customers fail to show up for a reservation — but only if a few conditions are met.</p><p>Back in March, <a href="Back%20in%20March,%20MTL%20Blog%20covered%20the%20province's%20plan%20to%20introduce%20this%20penalty,%20which%20is%20now%20set%20to%20take%20effect%20in%20just%20a%20few%20weeks." target="_blank">MTL Blog covered the province's plan to introduce this penalty</a>, which is now set to take effect in just a few weeks.</p><p>The new rule, announced Thursday by Quebec's Minister of Justice Simon Jolin-Barrette and Minister for the Economy Christopher Skeete, aims to help restaurant owners deal with the growing problem of "ghost reservations" while protecting customers from unfair charges.</p><p>"This new framework is an opportunity to remind everyone that if you are unable to honour your reservation, the least you can do is cancel it," Jolin-Barrette said in a <a href="https://www.newswire.ca/fr/news-releases/reservations-fantomes-dans-les-restaurants-des-penalites-pourront-s-appliquer-des-le-17-juillet-844728188.html" target="_blank">news release</a>.</p><p>Here's how the $10 fee works:</p> <ul> <li> It only applies to reservations for two or more people</li> <li> The restaurant must inform you ahead of time that a fee may apply</li> <li> They have to confirm your reservation between 6 and 48 hours before the meal (unless you booked within that window)</li> <li> You must be able to cancel easily at any time, like by text or online</li> <li> The fee can't be charged if you cancel at least three hours in advance</li> <li> And it only kicks in if no one in the group shows up</li> </ul> <p>Restaurant owners have long complained about the cost of last-minute no-shows. According to the Association Restauration Québec, the average restaurant loses $49,000 a year to ghost reservations, and some lose nearly double that. In total, Quebec eateries could be missing out on over $400 million annually.</p><p>A recent Léger poll found that 70% of Quebecers support the idea of a no-show fee, suggesting that most diners agree — if you book a table and can't make it, the least you can do is cancel.</p><p>For more information, visit the <a href="https://www.opc.gouv.qc.ca/commercant/nouvelles-obligations" target="_blank">Office de la protection du consommateur</a>.</p><p><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em></p><p><em>AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/editorial-standards" target="_blank">Editorial Standards page</a>.</em></p>