Wine corkage fees are a major point of contention for some people. On many wine-lover websites, it’s a frequent topic of discussion on the message boards. For some, it is considered a personal insult; for others, a necessary evil, with all points in-between. Another point of argument is over what constitutes a “fair” fee. I have to admit, there doesn’t seem to be any consistent pattern to how these fees are determined anywhere. So, should you patronize a restaurant that charges corkage fees, or not?
Like most issues involving the restaurant business, the topic is complex and highly polarized. If you’re not already familiar, a corkage fee is an extra charge in a restaurant for opening, decanting, supplying stemware, and serving a bottle (or several) of wine that you have brought in yourself. Many restaurants, especially nicer ones, charge this fee for various reasons. Their policies regarding this can generally be categorized as follows:
- The Gracious Welcome: These restaurants often waive the corkage fee, or charge a very minimal one, to attract business. The problem is that this policy is often abused by patrons.
- The Fraternal Welcome: The fee is waived or reduced for regular customers or for customers bringing in bottles of local wine. This encourages repeat business and supports local wineries.
- The Reluctant Welcome: Fees are based on the quality of the wine you bring in. Lower-quality wine = higher fee. This is meant to discourage people from bringing in very cheap wines that could hurt the restaurant’s reputation.
- The Rude Welcome: Fees are ridiculously high to discourage anyone from bringing in outside wine.
Should You Bring Your Own Wine?
I’ve never really understood why anyone would want to bring in a bottle of wine. If you’re too cheap to buy what they have in the restaurant, you should stay home and save all of your money. Most restaurants employ highly skilled sommeliers who go to great lengths to provide the best wines in every price range. If I were a sommelier and someone brought in their own wine, I’d take that as a personal insult. That would be like someone ordering a glass of tea and bringing in a bag of McDonald’s hamburgers. As a chef, I’d throw someone out of my restaurant for doing that.
Some people justify BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) by saying that restaurants have a criminal mark-up on wines. However, in a restaurant, you’re not just paying for the wine—you’re also paying for the service of a skilled sommelier who knows how to properly decant the wine, serve it correctly at the right temperature, and understand what wines pair best with your meal. Those same people have no qualms about paying attorneys $100 per hour and up when they have legal issues. A sommelier and professional restaurant staff are no less worthy of their wages. And the mark-ups on wine in restaurants aren’t as high as many people think.
I suppose I could see bringing in a very special vintage, maybe for a special occasion, but you should call the restaurant first and let them know your plans and how many people will be attending so they can have extra staff available if needed. There is nothing wrong with a restaurant charging a corkage fee under these conditions. Special parties are a lot of extra work and can take time away from other customers.
Looking at it from the restaurant’s point of view, they pay good salaries and commissions to highly trained and experienced sommeliers, who have spent a significant portion of their lives learning about wines and food. These sommeliers go to heroic lengths to prepare a well-balanced wine list that has something for everyone at every price point. Besides the insult, when you bring in a bottle, the sommelier loses the commission they would’ve earned on the sale of their wine. The corkage fee offsets that somewhat. You have to remember, restaurants are in the business of selling food and beverages, not just providing tables and stemware for your own food and drink.
When a restaurant allows you to bring in your own bottle, remember that it is a privilege and should not be abused. Always offer the sommelier a taste of your wine. They may not accept, but it is a sign of respect, and since you’ve shunned their selections, the least you can do is show them why. Always call ahead and inquire about corkage fees, so you won’t be surprised at the table. If they have corkage fees of $30 or more, it’s a good indication that they really don’t want you to bring in outside wine. Take the hint. Never, never, never show up with a bottle of cheap wine. Nothing would insult the place more. And try to buy at least one bottle of their wine—it’s a nice gesture.
On the restaurant side, try to have a good selection of wines for every taste, at all price points. Remember that even if you lose out on some wine profit, people who bring in wine are likely to spend a lot more on food than they would otherwise, so cut them a little slack. Make sure that corkage fees are posted on the wine lists, menus, and websites, and make sure that reservationists, hosts, and servers are aware of them. Keep your corkage fees in line with the quality of your wine selections, staff, stemware, and décor. Try to stay close to what the competition is charging for corkage. If people bring in wine with screw tops, discuss the fee with them so they won’t consider it a “screwage” fee.
My best advice is that if corkage fees are an issue for you, decide whether it’s worth it to either pay it, buy their wine (which is recommended anyway), or go somewhere else—but be prepared for lower quality food, service, and wine if you do. Restaurants are just like everything else: you usually get what you pay for.
