Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

As a restaurant manager (who writes the wine list), I don't have a problem with our corkage fee ($10) or people brining in wine. We have won awards in the past for our lists but found them directed to the 5% of the wine drinking crowd that actually know wine. Our lists are now directed at the 95% of the market that wants wine that is good and affordable. In doing so our wine sales have greatly imporved, but we also do not have the breadth of selection that some people may like. Knowing this, if you bring in a bottle that is not on our list, and or special to you, I am happy for you. The only time I have any issues is when people call and ask about corkage fees, then show up with to magnums of yellow tail (which we do not have on the list), and think that this is okay. Fortunatley this is less often than more.
The mar up of bottle costs needs to be addressed. all beverage used to be a major source of profits in restaurants, but as all prices have gone up, the mark up on beverage is now just supplanting the profit lost in other areas. When all things are said and done, the margins on most restaurants are very thin. If we price one thing less, another generally needs to be raised. Focus on the entire bill and less on the costs of one section of the menu. If you spent $65 fo two people, did you get the appropriate value for the dollar spent? Support those restaurants.