I'm having exactly the same problem. Let's face it, for non-North Americans sending relatively small sums of momey to the USA is a problem.
I think my only practical solution is just to post some cash to Catman.
I'd also be happy to give my credit card number to Catman or the restaurant, similar to what I do for hotels, as a guarantee. But I don't know if a restaurant could charge the card for a no-show the way a hotel can. Does anyone know?