in article , Vincent at
wrote on 8/18/04 9:01 AM:

I usually figure 17-23% for the food, and 10% for the wine. However I do
have a minimum and maximum of $5 and $20 per bottle. If I bring my own wine,
then I only pay the corkage fee (no tip) for the wine. And should the
corkage fee exceed $25 (that has only happened once, it was $35), I subtract
the difference (the $10 in that case) from the food portion of the tip. Did
not feel too bad, since they still got 15% (base food price was $280; I was
tipping at 19%, based on slightly better than average service, so the tip
was $43.20 instead of the $53.20 they would have gotten).



Vincent,

I think I see your logic here, but it raises the question of who gets the
corkage fee. If it goes to the the wait person I'm fine with your thought
process, though not at all sure I'd do it that way. If it goes to the house
then the wait staff is penalized when you subtract the excess from their
tip.

I'd bet there are people in this group who know, for sure, whether the
corkage fee becomes part of the tip. That would be educational to know.