A guest arrives with a bottle they've saved for their anniversary. Do you open it, charge for it, or turn it away? Saying yes can build loyalty, but each outside bottle can also replace a sale from your wine list. A clear corkage fee policy helps you welcome the bottle and still protect your bar revenue. This guide covers how much to charge and how to check your state's rules on outside alcohol. You'll also find steps to roll out a Bring Your Own Bottle (BYOB) policy your team can follow.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult an attorney or your state's alcohol licensing authority before adopting or changing a BYOB or corkage fee policy.
Quick answer: corkage fees at a glance (TL;DR)
A corkage fee is what a restaurant charges when guests bring their own wine or alcohol to drink on-site.
Restaurants commonly charge between $10 and $50 per bottle, and fine dining restaurants may charge more.
The fee helps offset lost wine sales and covers wine service costs like glassware and staff time.
Some restaurants waive the fee and allow BYOB as a courtesy to guests.
Check your state and local alcohol laws first, since some areas limit outside alcohol or ban corkage fees.
What is a corkage fee?
A corkage fee is what a restaurant charges guests to open and serve wine or other alcohol they bring from home. The name comes from pulling the cork, but the fee covers the full wine service. That includes your staff's time, stemware, and in some restaurants, decanters or help from a sommelier (a trained wine expert).
Your corkage policy sets the rules for outside bottles: whether you allow them, what you charge, and any limits. With a clear policy in place, your team can answer quickly when a guest asks to bring a special bottle.
Corkage fees often come up alongside BYOB, which some restaurants call bring your own wine (BYOW). A BYOB policy lets guests bring outside alcohol. Some BYOB restaurants charge a corkage fee, while others waive it as a courtesy.
Why do restaurants charge a corkage fee?
Restaurateurs charge corkage fees for four main reasons.
To make up for lost wine sales. When guests bring their own bottle, they may not order one from your wine list. A corkage fee helps you recover part of that revenue.
To cover the cost of wine service. Your staff still opens the bottle, pours it, and checks on the table throughout the meal. You also supply the wine glasses, wash them, and replace any that break.
To protect table turnover. Table turnover is how quickly you can seat a new party after one leaves. Guests celebrating with a special bottle may linger at the table. A fee can help balance the revenue you lose from seating fewer parties that night.
To support your wine program. A wine program includes your wine list, bottle storage, staff training, and sommelier time. Each piece costs money to build and maintain. A corkage fee helps protect that investment when guests bring bottles from outside.
How much should you charge for a corkage fee?
Restaurants commonly charge between $10 and $50 per bottle. Where your fee falls depends on your dining style, what guests bring, and your local market.
Your dining style can move your fee up or down:
Restaurant type | Where your fee may fall | Why |
|---|---|---|
Casual restaurant | Lower end of the range | Simple service and standard glassware |
Upscale casual | Middle of the range | More polished wine service and better stemware |
Fine dining | Top of the range or higher | Sommelier service, premium stemware, and a deep wine list |
Set your base fee around a standard 750-milliliter (ml) wine bottle. You can charge a separate rate for larger bottles, like a magnum (1.5 liters), or for spirits.
Next, decide whether to charge per bottle or per person. A per-bottle fee is simpler for staff to ring up in your point-of-sale (POS) system.
Finally, check what similar restaurants near you charge. A fee close to your local norm is less likely to turn guests away.
Is charging a corkage fee legal?
In many places, yes. Whether you can allow outside alcohol at all depends on your liquor license and your state and local laws.
Corkage fee laws vary widely. A few examples:
New Jersey: Unless a local ordinance prohibits it, unlicensed restaurants may let customers bring and consume only wine and beer, and may not impose a cover, corkage, or service charge. (New Jersey Government)
Chicago: The city encourages BYOB restaurants to carry liability insurance, and does not allow BYOB fees unless the location has a liquor license. (City of Chicago)
Boston: Restaurants need a BYOB permit from the city's Licensing Board, can't hold any other alcohol license, and must carry liquor liability insurance. Permit holders also can't charge a corkage fee or any other BYOB fee. (City of Boston)
Before you add or change a corkage policy, contact your state's Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) board. The federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) keeps a directory of every state's alcohol authority. Check with your city or county too, since local rules can add requirements. Laws change, so confirm current rules before you act.
How to set your corkage fee policy
Once you pick a price, set clear rules so staff and guests know what to expect.
Decide on bottle limits and wine list overlap rules
A bottle limit caps how many outside bottles each party can bring. Pick a number that fits your table sizes, such as one or two bottles per party. For bottles past the limit, you can charge a higher fee or decline them.
You can also ban outside bottles that already appear on your wine list to protect the investment in your wine program.
Train your staff to communicate the policy
Guests shouldn't first hear about a corkage fee when the check arrives. Train your team to share the policy at each point of contact:
Reservations: Include the fee and bottle limit in confirmation emails and on your booking page.
Phone calls: Hosts should explain the fee, limits, and your rule on wine you already sell.
At the table: Servers should confirm the fee before opening the bottle.
Add a corkage fee button to your POS system so every server charges it the same way.
Corkage fee etiquette: what to tell your guests
Share these tips on your website, in reservation emails, or on table signage.
Call ahead. Ask guests to confirm your corkage policy before they arrive. That way, no one shows up with a bottle you can't serve.
Offer the server a taste. Guests can share a small pour of a special bottle with their server or sommelier. It's optional, but it's a friendly way to thank the team.
Tip on the full check. Encourage guests to include the corkage fee when they calculate their tip, since your servers still provide full wine service. If your checks include a service charge, explain how that service charge differs from a tip.
Grow beyond the dining room with DoorDash Marketplace
Once your dine-in experience runs smoothly, you may be ready to reach guests who can't make it to your tables. With DoorDash Marketplace, customers can find your restaurant and order from you through the DoorDash app. Dashers deliver the orders using the DoorDash platform, so your staff can keep serving guests in the dining room.
Where your license and local laws allow, you can also offer alcohol delivery on DoorDash alongside your food. You keep your dine-in service as it is and add delivery sales on top.
Your dine-in guests may already be looking for you on delivery apps. According to the 2026 DoorDash Restaurant Industry Trends Report, 74% of consumers say a dine-in visit led them to later order delivery from the same restaurant.* Consider adding zero-proof drinks to your delivery menu too, so guests who skip alcohol still have something special to order.
*Based on a survey of 3,001 US consumers conducted by Dynata on behalf of DoorDash in March 2026.
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