Lawmakers consider bill to bar unauthorized third‑party restaurant listings and reservations

Sponsor testimony and several witnesses on March 12 focused on H.B. 7846, a bill designed to protect restaurants from unauthorized third‑party delivery listings and reservation resales.

Sponsor and supporters said the bill would expand existing requirements that third‑party platforms have an agreement with restaurants before taking orders or arranging reservations and would add restrictions on advertising and order interfaces that appear without a restaurant’s consent. Bill Walsh of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association told the committee that unauthorized third‑party listings and uses of a restaurant’s name can damage local businesses and erode customer experience.

Small-restaurant owners described concrete problems: Bill Kitsilis (owner of Angel’s Palace Pizza) said search results will sometimes list delivery buttons for aggregators (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub) that bypass the restaurant’s own delivery service and confuse customers. "When you search my business right now on maps... it says order — DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub," Kitsilis said, adding that restaurant owners should have the choice of whether an ordering option appears first.

Broadcast representatives sought additional protections for local digital ad platforms. Bill George, president of the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association, requested indemnification language to limit liability for local broadcasters and their digital platforms that carry third‑party ads and suggested additional language be considered.

Supporters cited similar rules adopted by other states to limit reservation resales and unauthorized listings; opponents were not recorded at the March 12 hearing. The committee concluded the testimony and will review written suggestions and proposed indemnification language from stakeholders.