What is corkage, and how much does it cost?
Corkage is the fee a restaurant charges to open and serve a bottle you brought yourself. Across the Australian restaurants on findbyo that charge it, corkage averages $12.79 and the median is $8; 226 venues on findbyo charge no corkage at all. Updated 11 Oct 2026.
Per bottle, per person or per glass
Restaurants charge corkage in one of three ways: per bottle opened, per person at the table, or per glass. Among findbyo listings where the venue has told us how it charges, 9 charge per bottle, 8 per person and 1 per glass. A $4 per-person fee for a table of four costs more than a $10 per-bottle fee for one bottle, so it is worth checking which applies.
Average corkage by city
| City | Average | Median | Free corkage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | $12.52 | $8 | 15 venues |
| Melbourne | $12.34 | $8 | 11 venues |
| Auckland | NZD 6.98 | NZD 7 | 2 venues |
| Canberra | $8.05 | $6 | 6 venues |
| London | £7.47 | £4.5 | 32 venues |
| New York | $21.35 | $15 | 43 venues |
| Los Angeles | $13.79 | $10 | 21 venues |
| Adelaide | $26.71 | $25 | 1 venues |
Why restaurants charge it
Drinks are a large part of a restaurant's income. Corkage covers the glassware, service and the sale the restaurant gives up when you bring your own bottle. findbyo lists the fee for every venue so you know it before you book.
Related questions
- Is corkage charged per bottle or per person?
- It depends on the restaurant. Corkage can be charged per bottle, per person or per glass. findbyo listings show which applies where the venue has confirmed it.
- How much is corkage in Australia?
- Across the Australian restaurants on findbyo that charge corkage, the average is $12.79 and the median is $8. Updated 11 Oct 2026.
What does BYO mean at a restaurant? How does BYO work at a restaurant?