How much corkage is too much?
Published 1 year, 8 months ago in Nightlife. 
Some Melbourne restaurants are charging $40 a pop for corkage, according to the Melbourne Leader. We want to know how much is too much to pay for someone to cork and pour your own bottle of wine.
The full report is here: www.melbourneleader.com.au
9 Responses to “How much corkage is too much?”
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How hard is it to open a screw top?
I’ve been to restaurants that charge cakeage as well, to slice and serve your own birthday cake!
It’s obviously an incentive to you to buy your grog, (and cake) in the restaurant. They make the largest part of their profit from grog and cakes, so by taking your own you are reducing their profit. I agree $40 is a bit much, but maybe it depends on the actual wine! Probably $5 or $10 would be acceptable.
Never pay corkage
Don’t forget, the restaurant still has to provide glasses and have someone to wash them after use. Corkage is for these hidden costs - not simply a penalty for bringing your own. But some charges are excessive.
$40 corkage is a rip off, refuse and ask for a recalculation and then never go back!
Cakeage? Soon we’ll be charged for:
(1) seatage, when waiting staff pull out your chair prior to sitting; and
(2) greetage, when staff say hello - or goodbye; and
(3) coatage, when staff help you put on your coat at the end of the meal; and
(4) smilage, when staff smile at you - or you at them; and
(5) pennage, when staff lend you a pen to sign the credit card invoice; and,
(6) not to mention, spillage, when you lose it over all these charges!
No amount of corkage is excessive if the service is as it should be. And there’s the rub. Personally, I would not trust a Melbourne sommelier with a Château Pétrus for a king’s ransom but it’s a matter of choice after all.
Has anyone ever taken their own bottle opener into a restaurant and opened their own bottle? I’m always tempted to do that!
They can stick their corkage. You pay enough for their meals .