You've just seated a table who walked in carrying a bottle of aged Burgundy. Your front-of-house manager smiles — then freezes. Do you have a corkage policy ready, or is someone about to improvise at the end of a $300 meal?
For Singapore restaurants, BYOB is a familiar scenario. It's common at unlicensed neighbourhood eateries, regular at private dining concepts, and increasingly expected at wine-forward venues around Keong Saik Road and Dempsey Hill where guests want to bring something personal for a celebration. Without a clear corkage fee in place, you're absorbing the cost of glassware, service, and staff time — and handing your team an awkward conversation right when it's least welcome.
This guide covers everything Singapore F&B operators need to know: what a corkage fee is, how to price it, how to communicate it, and how to manage it cleanly at the point of sale.
A corkage fee is the charge a restaurant levies when a guest brings their own bottle of wine, spirits, or other beverage to consume on the premises. It compensates the restaurant for the use of glassware, staff service (decanting, pouring, handling), and the foregone revenue from beverages the guest might otherwise have ordered from the menu.
The term comes from the act of uncorking a bottle, although in practice it applies equally to screw-cap bottles, decanted wine, and BYOB spirits.
BYOB dining has a natural place in Singapore's F&B scene, shaped by a few local realities that make corkage policy more consequential than it might first appear.
In Singapore, the sale and supply of alcohol is regulated under the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015, with licences issued by the Singapore Police Force (SPF). Licence fees and compliance requirements are not trivial, particularly for smaller independent operators. Many unlicensed restaurants in areas like Tanjong Pagar, Tiong Bahru, and Joo Chiat operate with an implicit BYOB arrangement — and corkage income helps offset the service cost.
Guests visiting Duxton Hill, Dempsey Hill, or Keong Saik Road for business dinners or special occasions regularly bring personal bottles — particularly wines they've imported or purchased from retailers. A fair, well-communicated corkage fee is widely accepted in this context.
Every BYOB table that walks in without paying corkage costs you in labour and consumables. Over a month of dinner service, that adds up — especially in a market where margins are already under pressure from rental and manpower costs.
Corkage rates in Singapore vary by venue type. Based on common market practice, operators typically charge:
Some venues charge per person rather than per bottle, particularly for set menus or larger group bookings. The logic is that per-person pricing is harder for guests to work around by sharing a single bottle across a large table.
Factors that should influence your rate:
Free corkage as a promotional tool is used by Singapore operators, particularly on quieter weeknights or as a limited-time offer to drive covers. If you use this approach, set a clear duration and communicate it consistently so guests don't expect it as a standing arrangement.
A practical starting point: look at your average spend per bottle sold, calculate a reasonable offset for glassware and service, and set your rate from there rather than picking a number arbitrarily.
The most common source of corkage-related disputes isn't the fee itself, but rather the surprise. Guests who discover a corkage charge for the first time when the bill arrives are far more likely to push back, regardless of whether the amount is reasonable.
Where to state your policy:
It's important to train your FOH team. Staff should be comfortable mentioning the corkage policy proactively, not apologetically. A simple line like "just to let you know, we charge S$40 corkage per bottle for BYOB" said at the right moment sets expectations cleanly.
If you use a booking platform or send confirmation messages, include a one-line corkage note. It takes 10 seconds to write once and prevents awkward moments for every BYOB table thereafter.
Even when guests know the policy, what happens at checkout matters. A well-communicated policy can still generate friction if the bill doesn't reflect what was discussed, such as if the fee is buried in a lump total, if the amount differs from what FOH quoted, or if staff are managing multiple BYOB tables on a busy Friday night and lose track of bottle counts.
Common operational pain points:
These aren't catastrophic problems individually, but across a full month of service they erode both revenue and guest experience.
Managing corkage cleanly isn't just about adding a line to the bill. It's a small part of a larger problem: keeping every order, every table, and every transaction connected from the moment guests sit down to the moment they leave.
KPay POS is built for the full operational workflow, from first order to final close-out, in a single connected system. It's designed specifically for merchants operating in complex F&B environments, handling the reality of local menus, service styles, and payment expectations without workarounds.
For BYOB and corkage in particular:
Beyond corkage, the same system handles order-to-kitchen printing, drink and food customisation (milk type, sugar level, modifications), and live order tracking from placement to completion, so your team always knows what needs attention without chasing the kitchen or digging through receipts.
To find out more about how KPay POS can help your business, contact the KPay team.
This is one of the most common questions Singapore operators ask, and the short answer is: the corkage fee itself does not require a liquor licence, because the customer is supplying the alcohol instead of the restaurant.
However, there are nuances worth being aware of. The Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015 governs the sale and supply of alcohol in Singapore. If your staff are handling, storing, decanting, or serving guest-brought bottles as part of your service, you should verify how this sits within your specific licensing position.
Operators should verify their situation directly with the Singapore Police Force (SPF) Public Entertainment and Liquor Licensing Division and seek independent legal advice if uncertain. Licensing conditions can vary depending on venue type, operating hours, and location. This article does not constitute legal advice. When in doubt, consult the relevant authority before formalising a BYOB or corkage policy.
For most casual to mid-range restaurants in Singapore, S$25–S$50 per bottle is a reasonable starting range. Fine dining venues and hotel restaurants typically charge S$60–S$120 or more. The right rate depends on your glassware quality, service level, and the beverage revenue you're offsetting.
Yes. There is no legal obligation for a restaurant to allow guests to bring their own alcohol. It is entirely at the restaurant's discretion. If you do not wish to allow BYOB, state this clearly in your booking terms.
Corkage fees are generally considered income from the supply of services and would typically be subject to GST if your business is GST-registered. Operators should confirm their specific position with an accountant or with IRAS directly.
Per bottle is the most common approach in Singapore and is simpler to communicate. Per-person pricing can make sense for set-menu dinners or large groups where a single bottle is shared widely. Consider your typical cover profile when deciding.
Apply the fee per bottle, consistently. If you offer a reduced rate from the second bottle onwards, state this in your policy so staff can apply it uniformly.
A corkage fee isn't just about covering glassware costs. It's a signal of how professionally your venue is operated. Guests who bring their own bottles generally understand and accept the fee. However, what they often don't accept is inconsistency, surprise charges, or staff who can't answer a basic question about it.
This is why it's important to set a clear rate, put it in writing, train your team, and make sure your POS can handle it without a manual workaround.
If you're looking at how KPay POS can support cleaner billing workflows for your restaurant, including custom line items, table billing, and end-of-day reporting, reach out to the KPay team to find out more.
