What is the wine markup in restaurants?
Quick answer
The standard wine markup in Belgian restaurants ranges from 2.5x to 4x the wholesale price. A coefficient of 3 is the norm for mid-range venues: a bottle purchased at EUR 8 wholesale sells for EUR 24 including VAT. The target wine cost of goods is 25-35% of the selling price.
Detailed answer
The wine markup coefficient is one of the most critical financial metrics in the restaurant business. It varies by venue positioning and the wholesale price of the bottle.
The Belgian rule of thumb: 2.5-3x markup on entry-level wines (wholesale under EUR 5), 3-3.5x on mid-range (EUR 5-15), and 2-2.5x on premium bottles (above EUR 15). The higher the purchase price, the lower the multiplier — otherwise the selling price becomes unreasonable.
In practice: a bottle bought at EUR 4 sells for EUR 12-14 (3-3.5x), a EUR 10 bottle sells for EUR 30-35 (3-3.5x), and a EUR 25 bottle sells for EUR 55-65 (2.2-2.6x). Guests accept high markups on modest wines but push back when a recognisable label is priced at 4x retail.
Wine by the glass delivers a better coefficient: charging the equivalent of the full bottle price for a single 150ml glass (effectively 5x markup over 5 glasses) is standard and accepted. This is why by-the-glass programmes are a major margin lever.
In Belgium, VAT on wine served in restaurants is 21%. Factor this into your selling price calculations. A well-managed restaurant keeps its overall wine cost of goods between 28% and 33% of wine revenue.
| Wholesale price | Recommended markup | Selling price (incl. VAT) | Cost of goods |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR 3 - 5 | 3.0 - 3.5x | EUR 9 - 18 | 28 - 33% |
| EUR 5 - 10 | 3.0 - 3.5x | EUR 15 - 35 | 28 - 33% |
| EUR 10 - 20 | 2.5 - 3.0x | EUR 25 - 60 | 33 - 40% |
| EUR 20 - 40 | 2.0 - 2.5x | EUR 40 - 100 | 40 - 50% |
| EUR 40+ | 1.8 - 2.2x | EUR 72 - 88+ | 45 - 55% |