Bring Your own

[300rwhp]

Okay this time I did a rudimentary search for byob. So I am curious after reading that you can bring your own wine to the french cultural center restaurant what is the law regarding this.

Beyond that what is the method involved, charges, etc...

If it is accepted what places are known for being hospitable to such practices.

Also for those that have never done it what are the faux pas when bringing your own?

[kurtisk]

Okay this time I did a rudimentary search for byob. So I am curious after reading that you can bring your own wine to the french cultural center restaurant what is the law regarding this. 

Beyond that what is the method involved, charges, etc...

If it is accepted what places are known for being hospitable to such practices.

Also for those that have never done it what are the faux pas when bringing your own?

←

You simply can't. Those who do, do so at their own risk. I believe there's a thread around here about corkage you may want to follow up. It flared up from naysayers, but trust us industry folk on this one, it's illegal.

For the record, when I HAVE seen it done, usually it's with a call ahead and a $20 charge. And never bring Yellowtail...

k

[annanstee]

Some restaurants do it on the QT.

In terms of faux pas, I would say don't bring something that is likely to be on the wine list, esp if it is under 30$. If you have a special bottle, call and ask ahead. Just don't make a fuss if they say no.

[Anchoress]

All the places I've ever worked (as a server) did it on the QT, but if someone we didn't know just called us up and asked, we would always say 'no'. Regular customers and people who made the request in person got a 'yes', and - as mentioned above - only if it wasn't on our list. As to price, I don't know if the $30 rule applied in my places; most of the BYOBs we served were either *very* exclusive (often not even available in North America) or - lol - home brew.

[SBonner]

Poor old Vancouver.... hopefully one day we will be able to bring our own. In Sydney we brought bottles of wine to resturants with corkage usually being between $8 and $10 a bottle. At Tetsuya's, one of Australias best restaurants, with a wine list better than most Vancouver establishments they charged $15 corkage. On the other hand we drank a bottle of 1989 Grange for less than $200 AUS$ on a wine list in Sydney last week

In Hong Kong you can bring bottles just about anywhere other than Western restaurants for no corkage.

Cheers,

Stephen

[vanderb]

I'll mention this again on this post in the event it attracts anyone to little old Alberta... we do have BYOB in this province and it's legal. Restaurants charge whatever they wish depending on the scale of the restaurant. For example Charley Chan's (a simple chinese resto down the street) charges $2 per person per bottle, where as more upscale Muse charges $20 or $22 (can't remember). There are even a number of restaurants such as Piq Niq who have "no corkage fee" nights, bring your own at no charge.

The etiquette is simple, call first to ensure the restaurant does allow it (not all do or want to), ask if the wine you are bringing is on the wine list (leave yours at home if it is) and bring it in a bag when you show up at the restaurant.

It's fairly simple and quite enjoyable.

[gingerfreak]

Well, I believe you can bring your own now in Ontario? Anyone know how this is playing out? Maybe BC will follow suit.

Slightly off topic, but this brings mind an experience in Thailand. A dance club we went to often (don't know how common this was, or whether it applied to restaurants, we were students and clubbing in Chiang Mai was priority ). You could bring in any hard liquor you liked - but you HAD to buy mix. If you tried to drink anything straight there would instantly be a very polite staff member at your side, courteously providing you with a list of your options. The price was so insane it made more sense to just go with the *martini* menu.

[Vancouver Lee]

I didn't realize BYOB was illegal. Should I edit my post from this AM where I "outed" a local restaurant that allows it? I'd hate to get them in trouble...

[jtcookie]

Some restaurants do it on the QT.

In terms of faux pas, I would say don't bring something that is likely to be on the wine list, esp if it is under 30$. If you have a special bottle, call and ask ahead. Just don't make a fuss if they say no. 

←

What she says!

An experienced restaurateur, who didn't really need the extra business, was only too happy to allow me to bring a special bottle, not available in BC, when I called and explained that the wine would complement his wonderful food, that we would buy from his list as well, and that I was only too happy to pour a glass for him, and pay whatever corkage was appropriate.

Regardless of the law in this province, that's what I'd do as a matter of course. This is another one of those wowserish, archaic laws that has to change. I'm suprised that we don't hear more from BC wine makers and VQA about this.

John

Edited November 28, 2005 by jtcookie (log)

[canucklehead]

Check out the corkage discussion we had a while back. Bottom line - we checked out the Provincial statutes covering this and it is illegal. The penalties are pretty stiff.

[mkjr]

Well, I believe you can bring your own now in Ontario?  Anyone know how this is playing out?

←

It is playing out OK in Ontario but not as good as it could be (i.e. if all were in). I say this because some restaurants still think that this will detract from profits. Personally, when I do not feel like cooking, we will go to a place that does allow BYOW instead of one that does not - and the closer the walk the better. Prior to BYOW, since I was getting tired of the 3x mark ups at places here in Toronto for wine I have or more likely wine that I passed on through agents or the LCBO, and since I do not know enough about all prices to check each bottle, I would end up cooking at home and pulling a bottle from the cellar. Since the law changed, I have probably gone out for dinner at least 10 times more than I would have but for BYOW. As an aside I have never brought a bottle that was on the list.

Edited November 28, 2005 by mkjr (log)

[bigdaddy]

Don't know about the tax structure in other provinces....but in BC the whole corkage debate is about the govt getting the MONEY!

Restaurants don't pay the PST on purchase, but instead the govt collects an increased amount based on the mark-up you charge. Licensee liquor purchases are meticulously tracked by the govt. At any time the inspectors can levy a fine or threaten your license if they believe your sales figures are inconsistent with the amount you have purchased (based on your "regular" mark-up). Everything must be documented, rung in, & tax collected (including staff drinks,etc).

Corkage cannot be tracked or regulated....and tax revenues are severely reduced.

That's it...that's all!

Edited November 29, 2005 by bigdaddy (log)

[nwyles]

Don't know about the tax structure in other provinces....but in BC the whole corkage debate is about the govt getting the MONEY!

Restaurants don't pay the PST on purchase, but instead the govt collects an increased amount based on the mark-up you charge. Licensee liquor purhases are meticulously tracked by the govt. At any time the inspectors can levy a fine or threaten your license if they believe your sales figures are inconsistent with the amount you have purchased (based on your "regular" mark-up). Everything must be documented, rung in, & tax collected (including staff drinks,etc).

Corkage cannot be tracked or regulated....and tax revenues are severely reduced.

That's it...that's all!

←

The MAN always wants his many servings of the same slice of pie.

Tax on Tax, the MAN loves it.

I do not know if anyone has the figures, but you would be blown away by the number of time a beer is taxed before it hits your lips.