Enter your proposed corkage fee and your typical wine sale figures. The tool compares the revenue from charging corkage against the gross profit you would have made selling a bottle from your own list, so you can see whether — and at what fee — a BYO policy makes sense.
Corkage can attract wine enthusiasts and larger group bookings who might otherwise choose a venue with a more extensive wine list, while still generating revenue from a bottle you didn't have to purchase, store or risk going unsold.
The break-even fee shown above is the minimum needed to match your forgone wine margin on a pure numbers basis. Many venues set corkage above this level, since it also reflects glassware, service and setup costs, while some set it below to actively encourage BYO as a footfall driver — recognising this is a commercial trade-off, not just a margin calculation.
Common practice is to limit BYO to a set number of bottles per table, restrict it to certain days or times (e.g. midweek only), and reserve the right to decline if the wine directly duplicates something prominent on your own list.
Treat a corkage bottle with the same service standard as one from your list — proper glassware, correct temperature and presentation. A poor experience around a BYO bottle reflects on the venue regardless of who supplied the wine.
This calculator provides estimates based on the figures you enter and does not account for footfall, reputation or group booking effects. JWBIZ Ltd accepts no liability for pricing decisions made on the basis of this tool.