Polls

What Do You Think the Right Fee for Corkage Is?

September 12, 2019

We've been talking about corkage fees (the fee a restaurant charges you for bringing your own wine) for a long time here at Wine Spectator. As you can tell, the debate around the etiquette—and the right price point for restaurants and diners both—continues. What do you think the right price for corkage is?

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What's a reasonable fee for corkage?

$0–$10. It's my wine, and I can also serve myself. If they want to charge for the glassware, that's fine, I suppose. $15–$25. It's my wine, but they're providing the service and the experience—I'm happy to pay for that. $30–$50. Restaurants have tight budgets, and I'd like to avoid undercutting them on alcohol sales. On a case-by-case basis. You shouldn't charge the same for a $20 bottle as you would for a $200 one! Whatever they want, as long as they waive the fee if I buy a bottle off the list. Why would you bring wine to a restaurant that has a decent wine list? Bringing your own bottle misses the point of the thoughtful selection and the pairings in the first place.