Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

> Most of the places in the US that allow a customer to bring wine have n=
o
> license to sell it. That allows the customer to enjoy a glass of wine =
with
> dinner instead of going across the street.

Liquor licences vary from one place to another. Around here, liquor used =
to be
sold only in licenced taverns, and food sales had to exceed liquor sales.=
Hotels
could have a licence to sell beer, and they had two different bars, one f=
or
ladies and escorts and one for men only. That has changed over the last =
30
years, but you cannot take your own wine into a restaurant, nor can you t=
ake
beer or liquor from a licenced premise to drink elsewhere. The province =
is now
considering allowing BYOWine restaurants, and the amendments will allow t=
he
customers to take home the leftovers.

> I don't think the restaurants on either side of the border want to allo=
w a
> customer to bring his own if they are selling the stuff. That is akin t=
o
> going to a restaurant, ordering a soda and then unpacking a picnic lunc=
h on
> their table.

Some places would like to be relieved of the responsibility to stock a wi=
de
range of wines and to pick up a few bucks for uncorking the bottles and
providing glasses.


> I don't have a problem with reasonable corkage fees. They are providin=
g
> glasses, the labor to wash them, etc. Funny how people complain about t=
he
> markup on a bottle of wine, but not the food.

Well I guess that depends on what people consider to be reasonable. Medi=
a
reports indicate that they are thinking of something in the range of $10-=
15 per
bottle. The last time I was in a BYOW restaurant in the US was in PA abo=
ut 12
years ago, and their corkage fee was $5.

> What does an order of two eggs and toast sell for? Much more than the=
25=A2 in
> materials.

It depends on where you are. There is a place in Niagara Falls that used =
to sell
two eggs, bacon, home fries and toast for $1.99. At least three local
restaurants sell bacon eggs, toast and coffee for $2.99. The same meal i=
n most
restaurants is usually $4-5, and if you have the same thing in the dining=
room
of a major restaurant chain you will be paying closer to $10. Most of us =
realize
that there is a markup to cover labour and other costs, so I guess it is =
up to
us to determine what is reasonable. The hotels are catering to travelers =
who are
reluctant to go out and look for something cheaper or simply don't have t=
he
time.