Reordering
Wine:
At several points in the meal the sommelier or waiter
should check with the host to see if additional wine is needed.
This can either be more of the same wine or perhaps a different
wine for comparison or for a another course in the meal. If more
wine is ordered, the routine of ordering, verifying the selection,
dealing with the cork and tasting the wine will be repeated as it
was with the first wine. If you reorder the same wine (same selection
and vintage) it would be appropriate for the next bottle to be poured
in the same glasses that the guests are currently using, but it
is necessary for the wine host to be brought a new glass for the
evaluation tasting. The most important time to consider a reorder
of the primary wine for the night is just before the main course
is served. If the bottle is empty and the glasses are low another
bottle may be in order. Do be aware of the waiter that wants to
keep filling the glasses of those who have obviously stopped drinking
or who already have enough wine to complete the meal. The goal is
to possibly force the purchase of an additional bottle in order
to meet the needs of the guests who are consuming the wine in greater
quantity. Fortunately this type of waiter is rare and especially
so in restaurants where you are known.
Pricing:
Beverages (including wines) are a key part of a restaurant’s
profit structure. Some people are surprised (even shocked and upset)
when they see wine prices (both glass and bottle) that are much
higher than they pay at retail; but, these same people don’t stop
to compare the cost of coffee, coke or food and the comparative
price for those items at retail. They have inventory carrying costs,
glassware (and breakage) expenses, wait staff, kitchen staff and
location overheads that have to be covered. Restaurant customer
count is limited by the number of seats and the limited times of
the day that they are patronized. Restaurant and retail settings
are two different worlds and the profit structures must be totally
different in order for each to survive. Some restaurants use low
wine (or spirits) prices as a promotional tool in order to improve
traffic flow while others may use a sliding profit structure that
charges a greater percentage on lower priced wines and less on higher
priced wines. The philosophy behind the sliding scale is that any
wine sold needs to cover certain fixed costs (glassware, dishwashing,
server time, seating space, etc) regardless of the cost of the bottle.
Once these costs are covered, more expensive bottles can still produce
higher actual profits and still be relatively more affordable to
the customer. Each restaurant has its own philosophy on the place
of wine in the dining experience and in the profit structure. You’ll
find some you like and others you do not. Rather than complaining
about the decisions made by an establishment with which you disagree,
just give your business to the ones you prefer.
Corkage:
Some restaurants will allow customers to bring in
their own bottles of wine with a fixed charge to cover service (glassware,
wait staff and kitchen help, etc.). This practice is called ‘corkage’.
Understand that this is the exception rather than the norm. Local
laws (especially in the United States) often prohibit this practice
and violations could result in fines to the restaurant or even loss
of their liquor license. When they are offered, corkage fees vary
by restaurant. Usually the range will be between $10-$25 depending
on the wines and/or the cost of the restaurant. Some restaurants
that do not want to actually tell their customers "No" will set
high corkage fees as a way to discourage customers from bringing
their own wine Corkage is usually allowed when a customer (often
a known good customer) has a special bottle or two that is not available
on the wine list. It is not allowed as a way to dodge buying wines
from the wine list so bringing your own bottle of a wine that is
available on the list or bringing everyday bottles is unacceptable.
Corkage is also offered in some restaurants that do not have a license
to sell alcohol. Some of these restaurants have relationships with
a nearby wine retailer where you can select a bottle for dinner.
Restaurant
Services Page 1