Restaurants Have Caught On To The Second Cheapest Bottle Gimmick
When it comes to ordering wine at a restaurant, especially at a restaurant with an extensive wine list, the majority of restaurant goers may find themselves overwhelmed. Not everyone has had the opportunity to memorize the difference between a Chardonnay and a Chenin Blanc, and even if you know what you like when it comes to wine, it still might be challenging to parse through an intimidating list of fifty wines or more — particularly when taking food pairings into consideration.
Because of this, there's a common ordering phenomenon that persists in spite of all of our best judgments: The Second Cheapest Bottle. Essentially, when people don't know what wine to order, and don't want to spend a lot of money, they order the bottle with the second lowest price on the menu, to avoid looking cheap. People have done this for years, and if you think restaurants don't know about it, then you're going to be disappointed. They not only know, but they sometimes take advantage of the fact.
How do you know if you're getting a good deal?
Since the second cheapest bottle phenomenon is so prevalent, there's good reason to think that unscrupulous restaurateurs might take advantage of this by selecting a low-cost wine for that slot – potentially one even less costly than the actual cheapest bottle on the menu.
If you're wondering how to calculate whether you're getting a good deal on your wine or not, take a cheeky look at the retail price online. Restaurants tend to price bottles of wine at around three times the retail cost, so if that $80 bottle you google only retails for $15, you might want to take a look at your other options. And while bottles are generally more cost-effective than ordering by the glass, the restaurant standard is to charge the same for a glass of wine as the whole bottle retails for since they won't be able to guarantee that the rest of the bottle will sell before it goes bad. The point is, you don't have to be a wine expert to figure out whether or not you're getting less bang for your buck when Google is at your beck and call.
How to order wine without breaking the bank
First off, if you're patronizing a bar known for its well-curated wine list, and you want to order wine like a boss, you shouldn't be afraid of ordering the least expensive bottle on the menu. It's there for a reason, and if the somm or bartender is worth their salt, it probably won't suck.
But you can also ask for help! As awkward as it might be to ask your server about pricing, you shouldn't feel uncomfortable asking them to recommend something under a certain range, as long as they have a few options that are within your budget. Tell them what food you're thinking of ordering, and what you usually know you look for in a wine, which can be as basic as saying you want a red or white wine — or a sweeter or drier wine. And don't be afraid of trying something new if it comes highly recommended and also happens to be in your budget. You never know what wine you're going to fall in love with next!