Corkage @ Restaurants policy

[Adam Ventress]

Delighted you have an arrangement with them, but I don't see anything weird about it at all. At least you won't be quite as ripped off as the general punters...

Well it's just paying that much more for something I can get at cost any time seems a bit daft. I hasten to add that they aren't charging a 4 x mark up on what they pay, it's actually slightly less than x 3 , so they certainly aren't ripping anyone off, but it would be 4x what we have paid for it at cost.

 

[Adam Ventress]

Wont they just let you swap?

Not sure what you mean?

 

[Tom Cannavan]

For many venues with those four little words ‘Do you do corkage?’ you are simultaneously criticising their wine selection and wanting to deprive them of part of their profit margin

Adam, I agree that if only those four words were uttered it could imply criticism or meanness, and that wouldn't be good. That's why I would never open with that: I'd open with "I'm dining with you on XXX. I'm a serious wine collector and wondered if you might allow me to bring along a rare/old bottle, that is not on your list? I would of course expect to pay a substantial corkage charge (quite often I do volunteer an amount depending on the restuarant, between £15 and £30) and we would also buy something from your list. Please let me know if you would be able to accommodate this."

 

[Gareth Germain]

Obviously it is quite simply not the case that asking for BYO is not the same as asking to take your own food. Given that the number of places that accept BYOB in London runs into the hundreds yet the number of BYOF remains nill (except of course a few places that allow you to bring cake and of course some that do bring your own truffle) it is pretty clear that BYOB has a place in many restaurants life and financial modelling. Those suggesting that asking for BYOB is the same as trying to ask to brings your own steak are genuinely being quite stupid.

Some people are acting like others on the forum simply turn-up and expect corkage without any prior arrangement or become rude or offensive when it is declined. I am sorry but that is simply not the case. Not one person has said that and it is rude and misleading to say people have. In actuality people have stated again and again that they ask politely what the restaurant policy is and accept it and accept when it changes due to circumstances.

I presume, for instance, you think all those organisers of off-lines are just rude and entitled people forcing their habit upon poor restaurants. I mean come on. That is just crass and insulting.

 

[Thom Blach]

I know a couple of BYOF pubs. Rather a good idea.

 

[Gareth Germain]

I know a couple of BYOF pubs. Rather a good idea.

I know of a few wine bars that do that as well. The Sampler in Islington love it when you bring a cheeseboard.

 

[Po-yu Sung]

Slightly unrelated; old school Chinese restaurants would process customers' meat, fish, or other luxuries (abalone etc). Of course it only makes sense if the stuffs are fine and rare, which the restaurants wouldn't buy. It usually only happens when the restaurants know the customers, aka routine diners. I think some Japanese sushi restaurants do that, too.

 

[Thom Blach]

Slightly unrelated; old school Chinese restaurants would process customers' meat, fish, or other luxuries (abalone etc). Of course it only makes sense if the stuffs are fine and rare, which the restaurants wouldn't buy. It usually only happens when the restaurants know the customers, aka routine diners. I think some Japanese sushi restaurants do that, too.

I believe that in some mainland China seaside towns famous for their fish it remains entirely normal for customers to bring their own to restaurants for it to be prepared.

 

[Tom Cannavan]

I believe that in some mainland China seaside towns famous for their fish it remains entirely normal for customers to bring their own to restaurants for it to be prepared.

I did that in Key West - I hadn't actually caught the barracuda, but the couple who did were staying in the same guest house and invited four of us to have dinner - they had dropped the fish off for the chef to prepare, obviously an arrangement they must have with the local game-fishing boats. No idea how much it cost as we just settled for our share.