Quebec restaurants will soon be allowed to charge $10 no-show fee

People will need to leave a credit card number when making restaurant reservations.

As of July 17, Quebec restaurants will be able to charge a maximum penalty of $10 per person for no-show reservations.

Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette and Economy Minister Christopher Skeete made the announcement in a news release on Thursday morning.

Quebec had announced in March that it wanted to address the issue of customers who do not show up after reserving a table at a restaurant.

Restaurateurs will be able to charge the new fee under certain conditions. The establishment must inform the customer that a fee may apply if they do not show up, the reservation must be for at least two people, and the restaurateur must contact the customer within six to 48 hours before the reservation time to confirm it.

The customer must also be able to cancel their reservation easily and at any time.

The fee applies if no member of the group shows up at the scheduled reservation time, and no fee can be charged to the customer if they cancel the reservation at least three hours before the agreed-upon time.

“The phenomenon of no-shows has increased significantly in recent years, and some restaurant owners were charging customers who did not show up. It had become essential to establish clear guidelines to prevent customers from being charged unreasonable fees. This new framework is an opportunity to remind people that if you are unable to honour your reservation, the least you can do is cancel it,” Jolin-Barrette said.

According to the Quebec Restauration Association, the phenomenon of ghost reservations results in average financial losses of $49,000 per establishment each year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French July 3, 2025.