In mid July how crowded are the restaurants in these 2 cities?
Will we be able to “wing it” or will we end up eating fast food if we don’ have a dinner reservation?
After touring all day it would be nice to relax over a nice dinner.

Not meaning to be pedantic but Banff and Jasper aren’t cities, they’re tiny towns, less than 10,000 people live in them. They’re mainly tourist hubs of hotels and restaurants. Millions of international tourists visit them over the span of a summer but they are truly tiny places.

if there’s a restaurant you have your eye on, make a reservation to avoid disappointment. If you don’t want to wait, make a reservation. But if you’re okay waiting or strolling around, fast food shouldn’t be your only options.