Corkage Fee Per Person Recipe

Set the per-person corkage fee

Determine the corkage fee charged per guest who brings their own bottle of wine. Input this value as the "corkage fee per person" (for example, 15 for $15).

Count guests bringing wine

Determine how many guests will be bringing wine. Record this number as the "number of guests bringing wine."

Multiply the corkage fee per person by the number of guests bringing wine to calculate the base corkage total. Example: corkage fee per person (15) × guests bringing wine (4) = base corkage total (60).

Add cleaning/handling surcharge (optional)

If your venue applies a flat cleaning or handling surcharge per event, add that flat amount to the base corkage total. If none applies, add 0.

Apply service gratuity (optional)

If a service gratuity is applied to corkage, compute gratuity by multiplying the base corkage total by the gratuity percentage (expressed as a decimal). Add the gratuity amount to the running total. Example: base 60 × 0.18 = 10.80, so new total = 70.80.

Round the final total to your preferred currency precision (typically cents). Present the corkage fee policy to guests as either: (a) a per-person fee — e.g., "$15 corkage per person" — or (b) a calculated event total if you prefer to collect once for all bottles brought.

Ensure staff collect corkage fees at point of payment (e.g., at the end of the meal or added to the event invoice) and note any inclusions (glassware, decanting, service) so guests understand what the fee covers.