Corkage Fee

A corkage fee is the amount you charge a guest for the service of opening, pouring, and providing glassware for a bottle of wine they brought from home. It is standard practice in many restaurants that allow guests to bring their own wine, often referred to as BYOB. The fee compensates your restaurant for the wine service and helps offset the revenue you would have earned if the guest had ordered from your wine list instead.

Why it matters for your restaurant

Wine and beverage sales are a major profit center for most restaurants. Markups on wine by the bottle typically range from two to three times the wholesale cost, so when a guest brings their own, you are potentially missing out on significant revenue. A corkage fee does not fully replace that income, but it ensures you are compensated for the labor, glassware, and service involved.

Beyond the financials, having a clear corkage policy sets expectations and avoids awkward conversations. Guests who bring their own wine generally expect to pay a fee, but they want to know the amount upfront. Listing your corkage fee on your website or mentioning it when a reservation is made prevents surprise charges that can sour an otherwise pleasant evening.

How it works in practice

Corkage fees at most restaurants range from $15 to $50 per bottle, depending on the style of the establishment. A casual neighborhood bistro might charge $15, while an upscale dining room with a sommelier on staff could charge $40 or more. Some restaurants waive the corkage fee if the guest also purchases a bottle from the restaurant's wine list, which encourages additional sales while still being generous to wine enthusiasts.

It is also common to set a limit on the number of bottles a guest can bring, typically one or two per table. This keeps the practice reasonable and ensures that most of the wine consumed in your dining room is still coming from your list. If a party of four shows up with six bottles from home, that is a different situation than a couple bringing a special anniversary bottle.

Connecting the dots

A thoughtful corkage policy lets you accommodate guests who want to enjoy a specific bottle while protecting your beverage revenue. It is a small but meaningful part of running your front of house smoothly. Being transparent about the fee, training your servers to handle it gracefully, and setting reasonable limits shows that your restaurant is welcoming and professional at the same time.