I’m having dinner at the new LA outpost of Girl & The Goat this week. Checking out their menu, they charge $35/bottle for corkage, but will waive the fee for your first bottle if you choose to gift a glass to another guest. I imagine if you’re going to bring a special bottle that you’d want to finish the whole thing, but nevertheless, I think it’s a thoughtful policy and appreciate the creativity.
6 Likes
I’m a little unclear on the concept - you mean if you send a glass to another table?
Yes, send a glass to another table of a wine you brought to the restaurant, they waive the $35 corkage on your bottle.
2 Likes
Same policy at Bavette’s in Chicago.
3 Likes
Just went this past weekend and loved it. Corkage is waived if you share with the somm/staff, too. Enjoy the meal!
2 Likes
Funny thing is I always wonder if restaurants dislike when you do that since it presumably cuts into the other table ordering. We had a dinner at a place that does no corkage once a week and definitely got some looks when we offered tastes to other (non byo) tables.
Clearly girl and the goat doesn’t if it’s their policy.
Yeah, I wonder the same thing. On the other hand, “Last two times I went to that restaurant someone shared a glass of great wine with me” is a nice way to get customers coming back.
The answer probably varies widely by the restaurant.
2 Likes
This is actually a really nice idea.
2 Likes
This isn’t a corkage policy, but I really liked what the (sadly now defunct) Bachelor Farmer in Minneapolis did with their wine list. They would sell you any bottle on their list, and they had a very smart WB-ish list, for 1/2 price as a half bottle. The other half then went onto a chalkboard visible in the dining area, and could be purchased by the glass.
So you could get 375 of anything, or you could look on the board and see what wines were available by the glass at that moment (in addition to a normal by the glass set of offerings from the restaurant).
First time I went there, I saw there was Clos Saron available by the glass on the chalkboard, it nearly blew my mind. The next time I went, I ordered the first half of a bottle of Jolie Laide, then went back and just had the second half anyway.
2 Likes
Especially nice if you go with a large group and divide into two tables, then share glasses of wine between them.
LOVE this idea! BYO is, unfortunately, super limited here in AZ, but that policy would absolutely encourage me to dine there more often.
I wonder how well it works in terms of patrons sharing glasses all around the restaurant?
I think when people discuss corkage and other restaurant business decisions on here, sometimes people are too concerned with every penny and forget that at the end of the day, one of the most important things an elastic business needs to do to be successful is provide a good/great customer experience or, at the very least, satisfy its customers. I think the G&G policy is uncommon/rare and is likely to really add to the experience for the person bringing the wine and the person being gifted a glass (not to mention that it might put the giftee in a better mood and make him or her more likely to order/spend more).
2 Likes
Man I wish every restaurant had this cause one of the guys in my group, at the end of the night when he’s had enough wine, shares with everyone in a 10 feet radius and we gotta make sure he isn’t going wild.
If the LA outpost is on par with the Chicago flagship in terms of food & service, you’re in for a very nice meal. Love the idea of sharing the love to waive the corkage!
This is permitted even for Vin Jaune?
1 Like
How many glasses of wine did the supermodel have on their table last time?
Sounds like both a great idea and odd concept at the same time. Still kinda cool.
I can testify to what Charlie writes here:
Lol.