Rising Corkage Fees in London Restaurants: What Diners Need to Know
Corkage fees in London restaurants, which are charges applied when diners bring their own wine, are rising as establishments look to offset soaring costs and sustain profitability. According to The Drinks Business, the average corkage fee is now between £12 and £15 per bottle of still wine, but in London, some restaurants are charging over £100. This trend reflects a broader shift in the dining scene as venues adapt to economic pressures while balancing customer expectations.
In the UK, restaurants need a licence to serve alcohol on their premises but do not require one to allow customers to consume wine they’ve brought in. Corkage fees are intended to cover the costs associated with serving the wine, including uncorking, pouring, and sometimes chilling the bottle, as well as compensating for lost revenue from in-house wine sales. Fine dining establishments, which often invest heavily in curated wine lists and staff training, are particularly reliant on these fees.
Notting Hill’s Dorian has recently increased its corkage fee to £100, plus the price of an additional bottle from its extensive wine list, which ranges from £50 to nearly £6,000. The restaurant, which seats just 40 diners, argues that it cannot rely on food sales alone to sustain its business without raising prices significantly. Similarly, Fallow in St James’s charges £50 for still wine and £90 for sparkling wine not on its list, with a policy to charge 50% of the wine’s market value for premium bottles, depending on management’s discretion.
However, not all restaurants have adopted this high-fee model. Some, especially those without alcohol licences, do not charge corkage at all, and others, like the Hawksmoor chain, offer free corkage on quieter midweek nights. Even so, many restaurants that previously waived corkage have begun to introduce fees. Little Georgia in Hackney, for instance, charges £5 for orders under £25, after experiencing diners who would bring in large quantities of their own wine while ordering minimal food.
Industry experts, such as professional wine buyer Kate Janacek, observe that even affluent diners take advantage of corkage to enjoy high-value wines at a fraction of the cost. Many purchase wines when they are relatively inexpensive, store them until their value rises, and then bring them to restaurants where corkage fees still offer a better deal than buying a high-priced bottle from the menu.
Joe Lutrario of Restaurant magazine attributes the rise in corkage fees to inflation and the broader financial struggles facing the hospitality sector. Restaurants have been hit particularly hard by rising energy and wage costs, with many locked into long-term contracts that prevent them from benefiting from lower wholesale energy prices. This has forced some establishments, particularly in the fine dining sector, to reconsider their pricing strategies, including corkage fees, to survive.
As these fees continue to climb, diners are encouraged to check a restaurant’s corkage policy in advance to avoid surprises. Whether viewed as a necessary cost of enjoying a special bottle or a deterrent to bringing your own, corkage fees are becoming a defining feature of the UK’s dining landscape.
For more information on restaurant licensing and regulations, visit the UK Government’s official guide.
