Corkage costs leave bitter taste (NZ)

Hefty corkage charges are being labelled “screwage” by outraged restaurant customers, with some eateries charging up to $30 a bottle to serve wine customers have brought themselves. A Sunday Star-Times survey found widespread variations in the cost customers faced to bring their own wine. Some charged only a few dollars, while there were reports of some fine dining establishments charging up to $60. A reader poll found only 2 per cent of respondents thought a corkage charge over $20 was reasonable, while 76 per cent thought $5 and under reasonable, reports Auckland Now.