yea, that’s a little strange.
This.
Unless it is a high-end restaurant, I don’t think you can expect proper wine service; the fact that you got zero wine service is probably better than what their service would have been had they provided it.
Brandon,
Panda Express isn’t known for their wine service at all their locations, I’d assume Yakima franchise is just an outlier.
Yeah 2 different issues here. I would have expected the server to pour, and I have never had one that didn’t. But I’d be happier keeping tabs of the bottle myself, as others have said.
I am always very appreciative when a restaurant allows corkage, and I would be totally ok with a “you open and pour” policy. But it is a disappointment when a restaurant says it allows corkage but does its best to make you feel small for using it. That has rarely been my experience thankfully
+1.
It also may be that she thought that she was plunking it down to let the wine “breathe” and that you weren’t going to launch into it quite yet.
I don’t think in this case the restaurant made anyone feel small. The waitress opened the bottle on request, and didn’t say anything negative. Unless there was something unreported, the OP’s reaction that it was a passive-aggressive act was a bit of projecting (which we all do). If waitstaff at a place that isn’t wine-centric (which I’m guessing from the $10 corkage) doesn’t think that pouring wine that wasn’t ordered is part of their job, they’re probably right.
Especially when we go to places where corkage isn’t common, we try to ask the waitstaff if they are interested in wine, and offer a taste. And of course tip as if we ordered a moderately priced bottle (whether they poured or not). I don’t remember anyone trying to make us feel small.
I would pay double to pour my own wine. my wife hate full glass.
Patronize the restaurant often, tip well, and express your enjoyment.
Yes! The next question is, is their glassware half decent? If so, I’d be exceptionally pleased. Even without wine service I’d tip as though I bought the bottle off the list.
We (wine friends) are very lucky where we live. 99% of the restaurants we frequent are free corkage. Wait staff generally know us so they know the routine. We will always open ourselves bottles that need extra TLC/Durand treatment. We most often pour ourselves other than Champagne. Our tradition is to let the staff pour the bubbly. An etiquette learned from our sake loving friends is to avoid pouring your own glass. Tipping the heck out of the staff goes a long way.
+1, But, she should have offered to serve .
Ha! It was difficult to pair something with orange chicken.
I’d be happy to open and pour myself but have to restrain myself from doing so because I think it would come off wrong to the server/other guests attending.