Ghost Reservations: $10 Penalties Successful – 98.5% in Montreal
Restaurant “Ghost Reservations” Decline Rapidly After New Cancellation fee
Teh persistent problem of no-show reservations – frequently enough called “ghost reservations” - is showing meaningful signs of betterment in Québec, according to industry representatives. The change comes following the implementation of a new policy by the provincial government.
Martin Vézina,spokesperson for the Association Restauration Québec,confirmed that the recently introduced $10 penalty for diners who fail to cancel reservations has acted as a strong deterrent. The policy, enacted by the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government, aims to reduce financial losses for restaurants caused by empty tables.
Vézina expressed surprise at the speed of the behavioral shift.We expected to see a change in customer behavior over the medium term, but it happened much faster than we thought,
he stated. This suggests a strong responsiveness from diners to the financial result of missed reservations.
The positive trend offers relief to an industry still recovering from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants operate on tight margins, and even a small number of no-shows can considerably affect profitability.
Vézina’s comments were made during an appearance on the radio programme la commission, hosted by Luc Ferrandez and Nathalie Normandeau, on Friday, December 5, 2025.