while you are correct, my job is to serve and make the table happy, and return guests, but it is also to make money. I work off of tips, I get tipped off of sales. Usually guests that bring in great wine are not just wine savvy, but restaurant savvy. The reverse can be said for those that bring in your average bottle from the local grocers. When I make a judgement on whether to charge a table corkage or not at the end of the meal, it is not based on the quality of the wine...it is based on my general feel of the table, and what will get me the best tip. Believe me when I say my service does not differ based on a table bringing in their own wine, my service is always at the same par with every table in the restaurant. So perhaps you misinterpreted my motives, While I always strive to give every table my undivided attention, and treat them to a dining experience like no other, I still have bills to pay : ) so as petty as it might seem, It all comes down to the rent.

You'd be surprised how much a finski will change a guys attitude.

Welcome back, psycho. Long time-no see.

quote:

Welcome back, psycho. Long time-no see.

Board-O, glad to see my favorite poster is still here.

The most I ever paid for corkage - $35

The average corkage fee here in DC - $20, but there are places that have free corkage certain nights, and most places will not charge you corkage if you also buy something off the list.

quote:

Originally posted by Rodeo360:
If you pay a $50 corkage fee I am going to assume you are a complete idiot or a very wealthy person that spends to frivolously.

there aren't many entrees on this planet that are worth $50 let alone worth the price plus an extra $50 to enjoy a wine you also paid for.

EDITED: Worth $50 and priced at or above $50 are a different concept

It is all relative...the $50 reference is to French Laundry..I guarantee that meal is worth $50. I agree that that is a very steep corkage but FL is one place I'd pay without thinking twice- and I am neither rich nor an idiot.

btw...what is the problem with SOM's

why do you not like em? I'll respond once i hear opinions.

I don't go to a restaurant generally if they won't waive the corkage when I'm doing a wine dinner or offline especially. However I tell my guests to leave something extra for a tip for the server since we are bringing our own alchohol. We open and pour our own wines ourselves too and bring our own riedel glasses if it's not at the country club I work at.

quote:

Originally posted by Sticky2:

quote:

Originally posted by 1badbird:

quote:

Originally posted by Healdsburg Gal:

Wow that is pathetic, I would have slammed that restaurant online on every board. That is disrespectful to the guest and just plain crazy. Talk about losing a customer. I dislike corkage; I also dislike restaurants that mark up the wine 3 times. We rarely bring in our own wine because in Healdsburg most restaurants do not mark up too much since they need local business for the winter months and some like Dry Creek Kitchen do not charge corkage if you bring in a Sonama wine.

I personally have a large problem with this train of thought...I have worked in semi fine dining to Fine dining for 5 years. Our food cost is astronomical, and the way we pay for the beautiful building, the food, wages, is marking up wine. We also keep a 3-400,000 dollars in wine inventory. Also I fully believe in corkage, our cost for corkage is the cost of the most inexpensive bottle on our wine list. Thats the sales we lose out on, and is also a sales lost on the check that MOST people don't take into consideration when its time for the tip.

What do you do if people don't order wine? Give them a what we think you should have ordered fee? Your inventory and costs are YOUR problem.

Many Years ago smart business people realized that they needed to make a profit to stay in business. I have over 16 years in restaurant business experience & 90% of people who bring in wine is because they are being cheap, how else could you explain them bringing in a $8-$15 dollar grocery store wine in. Any respectable restaurant will have a bottle for sale comparable to whatever you are bringing in. If they don't then your probably dining at subpar restaurants. That makes no sense either. Why bring an exceptional bottle of wine to an average meal. Enjoy the "nice" bottle at home or go to a restaurant that offers good food and wine to match.

quote:

Originally posted by mpls wine guy:
I don't go to a restaurant generally if they won't waive the corkage when I'm doing a wine dinner or offline especially. However I tell my guests to leave something extra for a tip for the server since we are bringing our own alchohol. We open and pour our own wines ourselves too and bring our own riedel glasses if it's not at the country club I work at.

Try eating at nicer establishments. Any respectable restaurant will serve your wine in a nice glass to compliment it. Stay away from your average chain restaurant with the flintstone glasses. I've worked for over 16 years in 4 star restaurants & private equity country/city clubs and any respectable place has the proper wine glasses. Otherwise it seems like your going to a moster truck rally and wondering why they aren't crashing mercades into each other, think about it.

quote:

Originally posted by Gigond Ass:
You come here and say to this group that the majority of people that pay corkage do it because they're cheap. You simply don't know your audience or the people that post here...

Atleast here I agree with you. While I may have spent a good amount of time in fine dining, I still prefer to bring my own wine. Last month I went to a nice dinner, and brought a bottle of vega sicilia unico. It only cost me 200, so at a medium restaurant markup it would have cost 500 there (if they had it) so I left the waitress an extra $100 (20% of the $500). The wait staff doesn't suffer (if you take care of them well), the restaurant charges me their corkage and they make money, and everyone is happy. Also I get the wine I want with my meal.

All we need now is a sommelier to chime in and this thread can get even better and follow the usual pattern

Pogg,
As a newcomer, I suggest you take some time to do a search of the forums. Not surprisingly, this topic has arisen many times, and you may get a better feel for the general attitude here toward high corkage fees and restaurant service.

quote:

Originally posted by Pogg:
I have over 16 years in restaurant business experience & 90% of people who bring in wine is because they are being cheap, how else could you explain them bringing in a $8-$15 dollar grocery store wine in.

I'd be interested in knowing the names of these 4 star restaurants where 90% of the diners were bringing in $8-15 grocery store wine.

PH

sometimes the predictability of it all does not detract from the big fun. I love these threads. thanks for a good read.

oh, and just because I think $20 is a lot to pay for corkage, nd $30 is just stupid, does not make me cheap. there are many other things that could classify me as (ahem) frugal, but that is not one of them.

quote:

Originally posted by mona lisa vito:
sometimes the predictability of it all does not detract from the big fun. I love these threads. thanks for a good read.

Did you at least get to see the original version of page 3? Again, predictable, but fun

No. I miss out on all the good stuff when I am working... Oh well.

I only have dinners at reastaurants that waive corkage here in Mpls, but when I went to visit my brother in St Louis we went to a restaurant where the corkage was $8 which I thought was reasonable. The highest corkage I've seen in Mpls is Manny's steakhouse which was $20.

$25.00 is average in the OC, but it beats the mark up prices of purchasing off of the wine list.

quote:

Originally posted by Healdsburg Gal:

quote:

Why do you say that?
I don't have a problem with people bringing in commercial wines...or even wines on our list. But we do have a corkage fee and I have the right to incur it. On the other hand, If it is a wine that excites me, or even if the table brings in complete garbage but are very nice/enjoyable people to wait on, then I most likely won't charge them. So I have to ask why this is elitist.

quote:

i would also say the wait staff waves the fee about 70 percent of the time.
waiters unwritten rule's of corkage
1.) If the table is cool, the fee is usually waved
2.) If they let me taste what they brought it, Ill wave it automatically
3.) If I find it to be something cool, exciting or different.
4.) I automatically charge corkage if the wine is like a KJ cab or something equally commercial or if it is something that is rather obviously on our list.

Your job is to serve and make the table happy so that they return to the restaurant and tell all of their friends about it. Good food and good service is how restaurants succeed. Judging your table and looking down on their wine choices is poor taste. They are drinking wine and that is great. If you can waive the fee as easily as 70% of the time you might just want to make it 100%. Remember you are there to provide the ultimate dining experience.

Someone bumped this thread so I had a 'chance' to read it.
Gal, I remember reading somewhere you work in(or own) a winery.
Please tell me the name so if I bring my own empty bottles I'll pay less, right? How about if I don't need a label and foil, that's another discount, right? I mean you're there to provide the ultimate wine experience, right?
You say: Your job is to serve and make the table happy so that they return to the restaurant , so should the server wave you the corkage to make you happy? How about him not charging you for your appetizers? And what about asking him discretely to only charge half of the entrees? Would that make you come back?

You people should really stop bitching about corkage fees, you should be glad you are allowed to bring your wine in, in the first place.

quote:

Originally posted by mpls wine guy:

I only have dinners at reastaurants that waive corkage here in Mpls,

How completely absurd. For you not to enjoy a fine restaurant only because you may have to pay a corkage is simply foolish.

Hell, do they even having anything resembling fine dining in Minneapolis?

Daddy Got Rocks arrives in Minneapolis and hops in the back of the taxi:

"Driver, take me to your finest dining establishment in this fair city."

Driver: "Will you be going inside or do you just want me to swing through the drive thru?"