A corkage fee is a charge a restaurant applies when you bring your own wine or bottle of spirits to drink at the table rather than ordering from the wine list. The fee typically runs $10 to $40 per bottle, per Webstaurant Store's industry pricing analysis, though fine dining restaurants in major cities can charge $50 to $100 or more. The restaurant uses the fee to compensate for lost wine-list revenue and to cover the cost of providing glassware and service.
What Is a Corkage Fee?
A corkage fee is the restaurant's charge for the act of opening and serving a bottle you brought from outside. It covers the cost of glassware, the server's time in opening and pouring, and a portion of the revenue the restaurant foregoes by not selling you wine from its own list.
The name comes from the cork -- historically the fee was charged for uncorking a bottle. Today it applies equally to screw-cap wines and any outside beverage you bring to the table.
Not every restaurant charges a corkage fee, and not every restaurant allows outside bottles at all. Some restaurants are strict BYOB establishments with no wine license. Others have a full bar and permit outside bottles as a hospitality policy. A few prohibit outside alcohol entirely. Calling ahead removes all ambiguity.
How Much Does a Corkage Fee Cost?
Corkage fees vary significantly by restaurant tier and location, per industry pricing data from Webstaurant Store:
| Restaurant tier | Typical corkage fee range |
|---|---|
| Casual neighborhood restaurant | $10 to $20 per bottle |
| Mid-range or bistro style | $20 to $40 per bottle |
| Upscale dining | $35 to $60 per bottle |
| Fine dining, major metro | $50 to $100+ per bottle |
Geography matters too. California wine country restaurants often have well-established BYOB cultures with lower corkage fees, since bringing a winery's own bottles is common. New York City fine dining restaurants frequently charge $50 to $75 or more. A $25 corkage fee in Chicago may be standard; the same fee in a smaller market may be on the high end.
The per-bottle framing is important. Two bottles at a restaurant with a $35 corkage fee costs $70 in corkage alone before your meal. Factor this into the decision about whether bringing your own wine actually saves money versus ordering from the wine list.
Understanding how restaurant pricing tiers affect the overall bill is covered in our guide to restaurant price tiers explained.
Why Do Restaurants Charge a Corkage Fee?
Restaurants make a significant portion of their revenue from beverage sales. According to the National Restaurant Association, beverage profit margins run 60 to 80 percent at most establishments -- far higher than food. Wine markup is typically 200 to 300 percent above wholesale cost.
When a diner brings an outside bottle, the restaurant loses that beverage revenue while still providing glassware, service, storage (sometimes chilling), and the server's attention for opening and pouring. The corkage fee partially offsets that lost margin.
From the restaurant's perspective, a moderate corkage fee lets them accommodate diners who want to bring special bottles without absorbing the full revenue loss. From the diner's perspective, a $25 corkage fee on a $30 retail bottle that would cost $90 on the wine list still saves $35.
Do All Restaurants Have a Corkage Fee?
No. Three distinct situations exist:
BYOB with no corkage. Some restaurants -- particularly those without a wine license -- allow outside bottles as a blanket policy with no fee. These are most common in states and municipalities where liquor licensing is expensive or competitive.
BYOB with a corkage fee. The most common arrangement at restaurants that have a wine list but choose to permit outside bottles. The fee compensates for lost beverage revenue.
No outside bottles permitted. Many restaurants, particularly upscale ones with invested wine programs, prohibit outside alcohol entirely. Their wine revenue funds the sommelier's salary and the cellar's overhead.
The only reliable way to know which situation applies is to ask. A quick call or note with your reservation eliminates any uncertainty.
Corkage Fee Etiquette: What Diners Should Know
The unwritten rules of BYOB dining exist to make the practice work well for both diner and restaurant.
Call or note your reservation. Never show up with a bottle without confirming it is allowed. Even restaurants that permit BYOB may refuse on a busy night or during a special event.
Bring something the restaurant does not carry. The spirit of BYOB is to share a wine that is meaningful to you -- a special vintage, a bottle from a trip, a winery not on their list. Bringing a wine they sell undermines the goodwill of the arrangement.
Offer the sommelier or server a taste. If you bring a notable bottle, it is considered courteous to offer the server or sommelier a small pour. This is not required, but it is appreciated and reinforces a collegial tone.
Do not bring cheap wine to a fine dining restaurant. A $10 grocery-store bottle at a $150 per-person tasting restaurant reads as bad faith. The corkage fee is set partly to discourage this.
For additional etiquette guidance on navigating special-occasion restaurant choices, see our guide on how to choose a restaurant for a special occasion.
Do You Tip on the Corkage Fee?
The standard practice is yes: tip on the full bill including the corkage fee, per Emily Post Institute dining etiquette guidelines. The corkage fee appears as a charge on your bill, and the server provided service -- opening, pouring, maintaining the bottle -- that the fee is meant to compensate for.
However, some diners treat the corkage fee as a restaurant revenue item (similar to a room fee) rather than a service charge, and do not include it in the tipping base. This is not standard, but it is not grossly wrong either.
The safer and more generous approach: tip on the total bill including corkage. The difference on a $25 corkage fee is $5 at 20 percent -- a trivial amount relative to the goodwill it maintains with the server.
Our guide to how much to tip at a restaurant covers the tipping base question in more detail for various bill compositions.
When and How Corkage Fees Can Be Waived
Corkage fees are waived in a few specific circumstances:
Free corkage nights. Some restaurants designate one night per week as a no-corkage night to attract guests on slower evenings. Check the restaurant's website or ask when making your reservation.
Purchase from the wine list. Some restaurants will waive the corkage fee on an outside bottle if you also purchase a bottle from their wine list. This is an informal courtesy, not a universal policy. Ask when making the reservation.
Special relationship or exceptional bottle. A regular customer bringing a particularly special bottle may see the fee waived as a courtesy. This is at the restaurant's discretion and should never be expected or requested directly.
Events and private dining. Private dining room bookings sometimes include different wine policies. The catering or events coordinator can confirm whether corkage applies and at what rate for a private event.
Always Confirm in Advance
The corkage fee, whether it applies, and the per-bottle amount should all be confirmed before you arrive. A quick email or phone call when you make the reservation takes 30 seconds and prevents any awkward negotiation at the table after the meal.
Understanding corkage fees is one part of managing the total cost of a restaurant evening. The full picture -- including wine list markup, service charges, and gratuity -- determines what you actually spend versus what you expected.
Frequently asked questions
What is a BYOB restaurant?
A BYOB (bring your own bottle) restaurant allows guests to bring wine or beer from outside rather than purchasing from the restaurant's wine list. Some BYOB restaurants have no liquor license and require guests to bring their own alcohol. Others have a full bar but permit outside bottles as a diner-friendly policy, subject to a corkage fee.
Is a corkage fee charged per bottle or per table?
Corkage fees are almost always charged per bottle, not per table or per person. If you bring two bottles, expect two corkage fees. Some restaurants set a maximum -- for example, two outside bottles per table -- after which additional bottles may not be opened or may carry a higher fee.
Can I bring any wine I want to a BYOB restaurant?
Generally yes, but there are practical limits. Most restaurants ask that you not bring a wine they already carry on their own list -- bringing a bottle they sell defeats the purpose and is considered poor form. Bringing something obscure, personal, or not available locally is the standard expectation for BYOB etiquette.
What is free corkage night?
Some restaurants waive the corkage fee on a specific night each week -- often a slower night like Monday or Tuesday -- as a way to attract diners who bring their own wine. The promotion is typically posted on the restaurant's website or social media. The corkage fee is waived but all other charges still apply.
Should I call ahead before bringing wine to a restaurant?
Yes, always. Even at restaurants known to permit outside wine, policies change and some nights may have different rules. A quick call or note in your reservation confirms you are allowed to bring a bottle, avoids awkward conversations at the table, and is considered standard BYOB etiquette.
Is the corkage fee negotiable at a fine dining restaurant?
Occasionally, for very special or rare bottles. If you are bringing a notably exceptional bottle, some fine dining restaurants will reduce or waive the corkage fee as a professional courtesy. Do not expect it, and do not ask at casual restaurants. The appropriate way to raise it is when making the reservation, not at the table.