Un-corking tipping?

ok, we don't usually eat at fancy steak houses, were the.Swiss Chalet kinda people...But anyway looking to eat at the steakhouse @ the El Cortez (fancy for us), My wife heard that if we order a bottle of wine with our meal, that its customary to give a " un-corking " tip to the server. Personally, I've never heard of this, anyone know what the "norm " is?
Thanks,
Dana0069

 

That's a new one on me! Just add your usual tipping percentage to the cost of the wine when it appears on the check.

 

As long as you are tipping on the full total, you are tipping for the wine. Maybe this was in reference to a BYOB? In that particular case, I don't know the etiquette.

 

if you brought in your own bottle, you might then have to pay a "corking fee". this too would be included in your bill. then you would tip on the total and any corking fee tip would be included.

if you are buying their wine, opening the bottle is a normal duty of your server and you would tip them accordingly based on the service.

 

I've never experienced "corkage" fees applied to wine purchased in the restaurant. If you google corkage fees there are a number of informative articles from sources such as Wine Spectator on the topic.

 

"corkage" would be a charge when you bring a bottle of wine in from outside the restaurant (and not a tip)....many states do not allow a customer to bring in an outside bottle of wine......everyone pretty much tips on the corkage charge and many tip extra if they bring a bottle in (which would be the tip you are talking about for the waiter pulling the cork) because the actual corkage charge is the restaurant making up for the fact that they did not get the sale and markup on the bottle you brought in yet still provided glassware (although some will still bring their own glassware as well even if buying a bottle from the restaurant)

Vegas does allow someone to bring in an outside bottle of wine, but it is still up to the restaurant and the restaurant usually only allows it for a bottle they do not stock or sell

in your case since you are actually stating you will be buying the bottle of wine from the restaurant you WOULD NOT tip merely for the waiter opening the bottle of wine since you will have the full restaurant price of the wine on your check

some people actually tip LESS on the bottle of wine depending on the overall price of the bottle relative to the total check......so if you and your wife had a meal that cost $500 for the two of you and you also ordered a bottle of wine that cost $500 dollars some people would tip 15% to 20% on the $500 dollar cost of the meal, but only 10% on the cost of the wine......some would tip 15% to 20% on the entire cost of the meal including wine

as the cost of the wine goes lower relative to the price of the meal it becomes more common to tip the usual amount (usually 15% to 20%) on the entire check including wine (say if you had a $500 dollar meal and a $100 dollar bottle of wine).......as the price of the wine goes higher and higher above the price of the meal it becomes more common that people tip one amount on the meal and another amount on the wine (say if you had a $500 dollar meal and a $2,000 dollar bottle of wine)

it will also depend to some what type of "service" they got for the bottle.....did the waiter or wine steward make an exceptionally good recommendation that met all your desires of taste, complement to the meal, and price.....were you about to order an bottle that cost $400 dollars and the waiter said "I think you should go with this one" and it was only $200 dollars and you really enjoyed it

was the proper glassware delivered and spot free (makes a difference to some)....was the cork presented for you to inspect for cracks, off smells ect. (again makes a difference to some)......did the waiter return to fill your glass and did he make sure you wanted it topped off before he did so.....or was the cork pulled in the back room, tossed in the trash, the first glasses poured, and then you were on your own

looking at the El Co wine list the most expensive bottles on the menu are $250 and $254 the others are much less in price (there are little periods there just hard to see haha)

in that case I would personally tip the same amount as the meal since for a $50 dollar bottle you are talking about a $5 dollar difference between 10% and 20% on the wine.....if the presentation of the wine was not so special, but the rest of the meal was and you are a good tipper in general (20%) even if you went 10% on the wine you would still probably be above 15% on the whole check and to be honest no server has a right to complain about 15% that is a standard tip for even good to very good service for many people

sorry to be long winded hope you enjoy your special occasion

 

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Thanks everyone, I got the picture. I'm sure the bottle of wine we order will be in the $50.00 or less category, were not big wine drinkers, just looking for a decent meal, and a few glasses of wine with it.
Thanks with all your help guys!!
Dana0069