How to sell wine by the glass in a restaurant
Practical guide to designing a profitable, guest-friendly and manageable wine-by-the-glass programme.
The opportunity
Wine by the glass is the most effective way to sell more wine
Offering wine by the glass removes the biggest barrier to wine sales: the commitment to a full bottle. The guest can explore, taste and enjoy risk-free. For the restaurant it's a powerful tool to increase the average ticket and cellar rotation.
The right number
How many wines to offer by the glass?
Too many options confuse. Too few options limit. The key is balance based on restaurant type.
Small restaurant
3 – 5 wines
Essential selection: one white, one rosé and two or three reds. Enough to cover all profiles without complicating operations.
Mid-size restaurant
5 – 8 wines
Balanced variety with style and region representation. Room for a sparkling wine and a sweet or fortified option.
Fine dining
8 – 12 wines
Ambitious by-the-glass programme enabling full pairings. Includes premium options and frequent reference rotation.
Pricing strategy
How to price wine by the glass
The most common method starts with a simple rule: cover the bottle cost with the first 2-3 glasses sold. The rest is net profit. Here's a practical example:
Bottle cost
€24
Glasses per bottle
5
Price per glass
€6 – 8
💡 The golden rule
With 5 glasses at €7 each, you invoice €35 for a €24 bottle. The first two glasses already cover the cost. The remaining three are pure margin. If 1-2 glasses are lost to waste, the operation is still profitable.
For premium wines, lower the multiplier (×1.5-2) to keep prices attractive. For entry-level wines, you can apply higher margins (×2.5-3) because the absolute price stays low.
Smart selection
Which wines work best by the glass
Versatile wines
Wines that pair with many dishes, making it easy for staff to recommend and for guests to decide.
Gastronomic wines
References designed to accompany food, with good acidity and structure. These convert best at the table.
Recognised wines
Appellations and varieties guests recognise build trust. Rioja, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Malbec work as anchors.
Great value for money
By-the-glass drinkers are sensitive to unit price. Offering high perceived quality at a fair price maximises repeat orders.
Cross-selling
Pairings multiply by-the-glass sales
Suggesting a wine by the glass alongside each menu dish is the most effective sales technique in hospitality. The guest perceives the recommendation as service, not selling — and orders more.
When a diner sees "Recommended with this dish" next to a wine by the glass, the probability of ordering it multiplies. It's the most natural sale there is.
Burrata salad
Sauvignon Blanc — €6.50/glass
Mushroom risotto
Barrel-fermented Chardonnay — €7/glass
Grilled ribeye
Rioja Crianza — €8/glass
Chocolate tart
Pedro Ximénez — €5.50/glass
The solution
How technology boosts by-the-glass sales
Tools like Winerim automate recommendations and make every glass sell itself.
Suggest wines by the glass
The system recommends the ideal glass wine based on the chosen dish and the diner's preferences.
Show pairings
Each by-the-glass wine is linked to menu dishes, multiplying cross-sell opportunities.
Explain wine to the guest
Clear tasting notes, origins and sensory profiles that make wine accessible without a sommelier.
Improve the guest's decision
Filters, comparisons and recommendations that eliminate choice paralysis and speed up ordering.
Free analysis
Find out if your by-the-glass programme is optimised
Send us your list and we'll analyse your by-the-glass selection, pricing, pairings and improvement opportunities. No commitment.