Recently my husband and I have been bringing our own wine to restaurants. Is there a certain ettiquette that we are supposed to follow? For example, are we supposed to offer our server a glass of our wine?
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
Many people are concerned about the etiquette of BYO restaurants. The key element is simply the corkage charge that the restaurant demands. You are certainly not required to offer the server a glass, and most restaurants would in fact prohibit the server from accepting and consuming alcohol, at least while on duty. It is up to you to decide if you want to boost the tip because you did not order wine from the restaurant's list. My personal inclination is to do so, knowing that the server depends mainly on tip income.
