"Bring Your Own Bottle" Restaurants
Sep 27, 2006 | 1:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: hoarding miles
Posts: 1,582
"Bring Your Own Bottle" Restaurants
Lately I've been really frustrated with the markup on wine in nice restaurants. In some places I see bottles being sold for 2x or even 3x retail. While I certainly expect to pay some premium, I don't think wine sales should be a major profit center of restaurants.
Are there many places where you can bring your own bottle (for a corkage fee) where you live? I've noticed them in CA, and NYC. Anyone know of places in CLE?
Are there many places where you can bring your own bottle (for a corkage fee) where you live? I've noticed them in CA, and NYC. Anyone know of places in CLE?
Sep 27, 2006 | 1:32 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: AMS
Programs: Flying Blue Gold
Posts: 1,849
Somewhat OT (as it is based on UK experience), but one obvious option for this is Muslim restaurants. For example good, genuine curry houses on the Curry Mile in Manchester or in the Balti Triangle in Birmingham will not serve alcohol but will allow BYOB.
I guess it depends on what sort of restaurants you go to - the above is somewhat redundant for French or Italian cuisine!
I guess it depends on what sort of restaurants you go to - the above is somewhat redundant for French or Italian cuisine!
Sep 27, 2006 | 2:06 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: hoarding miles
Posts: 1,582
I've started to answer my own question (at least wrt Cleveland restaurants). Sites such as Open Table list whether the restaurant pemits personal bottles. Also, i just called a restaurant I will be going to soon (Raintree in Chagrin Falls) to ask, and they said corkage is only $6. I guess it's available more than I thought, but you have to ask.
Sep 27, 2006 | 2:15 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: UA Million Miler (lite). NY Metro area.
Posts: 15,431
Check this out...
http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/...splay.php?f=14
Just look for your city.
Dan
http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/...splay.php?f=14
Just look for your city.
Dan
Sep 27, 2006 | 3:30 pm
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,716
Buy a nicer wine. The markup will be lower. Markups on wine tend to go down with the price. In the case where you're complaining that your $30 wine costs $10 in the store then you might want to get something that is actually good. You won't want your wine ruining your meal.
There are restaurants around that do this, but many don't do to some people (see the previous thread about this) who will bring in their own $10 bottles of wine. Restaurants do this as a courtesy that gets abused. Think of it this way, would you try to bring in your own beer into a bar?
There are restaurants around that do this, but many don't do to some people (see the previous thread about this) who will bring in their own $10 bottles of wine. Restaurants do this as a courtesy that gets abused. Think of it this way, would you try to bring in your own beer into a bar?
Sep 27, 2006 | 5:38 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 295
In Chicago, BYO is very widely available at a wide variety of restaurants. Some tend to be ethnic restaurants where the owners don't want to deal with a liquor license. Others are quite upscale, and there you might want to bring your better bottles! I think this is a very location specific issue, but we enjoy going to BYO places from time to time and being able to try different wines that we pick out, which will likely be more obscure and often better than what would be on the list at a moderately priced restaurant.
Sep 27, 2006 | 5:54 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: AA 3 MM, IHG Diamond
Posts: 4,590
A lot of restaurants in Napa Valley have BYOB. I've seen corkage fees at around $10 to $15 per 750ml. Some will also waive the fee for one bottle when another has been purchased from the restaurant's cellars.
Sep 28, 2006 | 8:33 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: hoarding miles
Posts: 1,582
Originally Posted by thegeneral
Buy a nicer wine. The markup will be lower. Markups on wine tend to go down with the price. In the case where you're complaining that your $30 wine costs $10 in the store then you might want to get something that is actually good. You won't want your wine ruining your meal.
Originally Posted by thegeneral
Think of it this way, would you try to bring in your own beer into a bar?
Sep 28, 2006 | 5:53 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 20,405
I'm pretty certain the whole state of CA allows BYO. Some have a corkage fee, some don't.
It's great...because I like to collect wine, but I'm just not really capable of preparing excellent food with which to enjoy the wine!
It's great...because I like to collect wine, but I'm just not really capable of preparing excellent food with which to enjoy the wine!
Sep 29, 2006 | 7:20 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
Posts: 10,131
One of the standard DC limitations is no BYOB if the wine is on "our" list.
So, I bought a couple boxes of wine, dumped them, and decanted my wine into the boxes. not easy, the hoses are small diameter.
the restaurant actually appreciated the joke, and spent some time trying to identify the mystery wines.
So, I bought a couple boxes of wine, dumped them, and decanted my wine into the boxes. not easy, the hoses are small diameter.
the restaurant actually appreciated the joke, and spent some time trying to identify the mystery wines.
Sep 29, 2006 | 1:59 pm
#12
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland OR Double Emerald (QF and AA), DL PM/MM, Starwood Plat
Posts: 19,593
I would just scrape off the label from the bottle and tell the restaurant that this wine was a "private bottling" or "homemade". Do that with Latour and they'll be trying to put you on their wine list.
Sep 30, 2006 | 2:40 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 20,405
Originally Posted by slawecki
One of the standard DC limitations is no BYOB if the wine is on "our" list.
So, I bought a couple boxes of wine, dumped them, and decanted my wine into the boxes. not easy, the hoses are small diameter.
the restaurant actually appreciated the joke, and spent some time trying to identify the mystery wines.
So, I bought a couple boxes of wine, dumped them, and decanted my wine into the boxes. not easy, the hoses are small diameter.
the restaurant actually appreciated the joke, and spent some time trying to identify the mystery wines.
^
Oct 1, 2006 | 5:01 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: HH Gold, AA EXP, UA 1p
Posts: 226
Originally Posted by Analise
In states in which liquor licenses are hard to come by, you will find many new restaurants with a BYOB policy. NJ for instance.
Matt
Oct 1, 2006 | 6:24 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Wellington
Programs: QFWP (LTSG), NZ (Jade), TG ROP (Forgotten), OZ (Silver), AA (Cardboard), EK (Lowest of the Low)
Posts: 4,672
Very Common In Australia
BYO (Bring Your Own) is very common in Australia for a number of reasons:
1. The BYO license is cheaper than a "Full License"
2. It may cost too much for a restaurant to establish their own cellar (space and stock)
3. The restaurant may not have the correct expertise in selecting or offering wine
4. It is very ingrained in the culture
Some restaurants have their own cellar but also offer BYO. Corkage is either per person or bottle so it may take some calculating what is cheaper.
1. The BYO license is cheaper than a "Full License"
2. It may cost too much for a restaurant to establish their own cellar (space and stock)
3. The restaurant may not have the correct expertise in selecting or offering wine
4. It is very ingrained in the culture
Some restaurants have their own cellar but also offer BYO. Corkage is either per person or bottle so it may take some calculating what is cheaper.