Navigating the Wine Corkage Fee Free of Conflict

The subject of corkage fees in restaurants has been a topic of great debate among restaurateurs and patrons for many, many years. In fact, navigating the topic of wine corkage has been the source of some of my most uncomfortable moments – on both sides of the negotiating table.

In truth, I rarely bring wine to a restaurant unless it is one without a liquor license that openly encourages its patrons to BYO. I avoid bringing my wine to a restaurant for several reasons, chiefly because I have been in the restaurant staff’s shoes. I’m not against bringing wine to a restaurant, and given the current pricing schemes on wine lists, my neutral stance is leaning toward the wine-carrying patron.

Further, I have an infinite respect for those who own and operate restaurants. It’s hard work, it requires incredible commitment, and the opportunities to actually make a few dollars are often found in their alcohol sales. Also, unless you know the establishment and the waitstaff well, you create a cloud of tension around your table, which is the last thing I want when dining out. However, it is true that many restaurants treat wine as a luxury item, charging absurd mark-ups. I do not believe that wine corkage is the patron’s remedy for price gauging. A better approach is to avoid the restaurant.

Another factor is that my philosophy (more on this later) dictates that if I am bringing a bottle to a restaurant, it will be a special, older bottle of wine, and opening and serving such a wine requires a steady, experienced hand. Luckily, I am very comfortable in the kitchen, so I am well prepared to make a meal to match my wine treasure.

As I have revealed, some of my most uncomfortable restaurant moments have involved a bottle of wine brought in. I’ve also confessed to rarely bringing in a bottle, so my usual involvement in the wine corkage dance is most often as an unwitting, and quite annoyed, associate.

Rules for Restaurant Patrons – Wine Corkage Fees

1. 1. Don’t be an ass. Sounds simple, but this is the most common source of friction.
   2. It’s not your “right” to bring wine into someone’s restaurant. (see rule #1)
   3. If granted the right to bring in your own wine, expect to pay for the privilege.
   4. Corkage fees are not a clever way to save money on wine. If you think that buying a $10 bottle of wine and then paying the $20 corkage fee is better than buying a $35 bottle on the list, you are probably someone better suited to ordering your dinner through a clown’s face at the drive-thru. (see rule #1)
   5. Sharing a small portion of the wine with the sommelier, the owner, or both is the proper thing to do and is not considered your corkage fee. (see rule #1)
   6. When bringing a wine to a restaurant with a wine list, make sure that it’s old, rare, and special. The wine should not be available on the wine list or even for sale at retail in your town. An old Bordeaux, a special Pinot Noir, or a rare Super Tuscan are a few types of wine a savvy patron would bring.
   7. If possible, phone ahead to check the restaurant’s corkage policy. It’s your prerogative to decline to bring wine or to skip that restaurant altogether.
   8. If you are permitted to have your wine served at the table, be sure to order something from their wine list. If you have brought in an old red, perhaps a bottle of bubbly or a white, appropriate as an aperitif or for the first course, would be a good choice.
   9. Tip. You need not tip on the entire value of the wine, but you do need to tip as if it were a bottle in the upper tier of the wine list.

Rules for Restaurateurs – Wine Corkage Fees

1. Don’t be an ass. Sounds simple, but this is the most common source of friction.
2. You should absolutely have an established policy regarding patrons bringing in wine. Your staff should be well-acquainted with this policy. Most difficult situations arise in the absence of a well-understood policy. The policy may include many factors beyond the simple fee, such as setting a standard for wine quality.
3. Don’t treat your wine customers as an ATM. If you believe that wine is an integral part of a meal and then you charge prices that suggest that it is a luxury item, you’re part of the problem. If your wine markup scheme is to start at triple cost and go up as you think the customer will tolerate, your days are numbered.
4. If you have a regular parade of customers bringing their own wine, they may tell you that your food is great, but that your wine program is a mess. Listen.
5. Don’t be shy about having a fee. You are losing revenue by forgoing the sale, so it’s only right that you are compensated. If your wine corkage fee is set at $40 — fair enough. If you also buy a Barolo for $35 and then charge $115 on your menu, understanding the tolerance for a $40 wine corkage fee should be easy.
6. It’s the prerogative of the owner/manager to make exceptions to the policy. As always, tread carefully, as while this is between you and a customer, someone is usually listening in.
7. Regular customers in good standing are to be given as much “wiggle-room” as possible.

I would love to hear your take on the subject.

Do you want to better understand wine service? May we suggest Be A Beverage Expert (BABE), a guide to understanding wine, beer, spirits, and cocktails.