Bringing your own

THE business of BYOG (Bring Your Own Grog) is a custom welcomed by some restaurateurs and frowned on by others.

At a pure BYOG, you are welcome to march in with a slab of beer on our shoulder and wine in the esky. Others, usually licensed dining rooms, may bar the beer and allow wine in. Then there are those who would only allow a “special” bottle of wine.

This is entirely management’s decision, as is corkage charges.

I favour a fair corkage charge, be it in BYOG or fully licensed premises. Most charge this fee by the bottle and some per head and generally the service where the wine is BYOG is a simplified version.

The corkage charge covers glasses including breakage, ice, cleaning, the cost and maintenance of premises, service and hardly least of all – profit.