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<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/eople-meander-at-the-junction-of-rue-saint-paul-and-rue-saint-vincent-in-the-old-montreal-section-of-montreal.jpg?id=58270747&width=980"/><br/><br/><p>Quebec is cracking down on no-shows at <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/eat-drink/" target="_blank">restaurants</a>, and if you have a habit of booking multiple spots and ditching, you might want to rethink your approach. </p><p>On March 19, the provincial government announced plans to let restaurants charge a fee for last-minute no-shows, aiming to curb financial losses for the industry.</p><p>In a <a href="https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quebec-veut-encadrer-les-penalites-en-cas-de-reservations-fantomes-au-restaurant-863737295.html" target="_blank">press release</a>, Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette and Minister for the Economy Christopher Skeete revealed the proposal. Under the new rules, groups of five or more who fail to show up for a reservation could be charged up to $10 per person.</p><p>"The ghost reservation phenomenon has grown significantly in recent years," Jolin-Barrette said. "Some restaurants have started charging fees, and it became essential to regulate the practice to prevent abuse and ensure fairness for both customers and business owners."</p><p>Restaurants would need to follow strict guidelines before imposing the fee:</p><ul><li>Customers must be able to cancel for free up to three hours before their reservation.</li><li>Restaurants must inform diners in advance that a no-show fee could apply.</li><li>A reminder must be sent between six and 48 hours before the scheduled reservation.</li><li>Customers must have access to an easy way to cancel at any time.</li><li>The charge would only apply if the entire group fails to show up.</li></ul><p>The regulation is currently in its pre-publication phase in the <a href="https://www.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/gazette-officielle/la-gazette-officielle-du-quebec/" target="_blank">Gazette officielle du Québec</a>. If implemented, it could help restaurants recover from an issue that costs the industry millions annually. According to the Association Restauration Québec, the average restaurant loses $49,000 a year due to no-shows, with some reporting losses of up to $100,000.</p><p>Quebecers appear to support the change — nearly 70% favour financial penalties for ghost reservations, according to a recent <a href="https://leger360.com/" target="_blank">Léger survey</a>.</p><p>For now, you can still flake on dinner plans without consequence. But if this proposal moves forward, standing up a restaurant could hit your wallet just as hard as your conscience.</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><p><br/></p>
