"Bringing Your Own Alcohol"... Rising Preference for 'Corkage-Free' Amid High Inflation

Embrain Trend Monitor Survey
72.4% "Willing to Visit Corkage-Free Restaurants"

As the burden of alcohol prices grows in the era of high inflation, more than 7 out of 10 adults expressed willingness to visit restaurants offering 'corkage free' services.

On the 30th, market research firm Embrain Trend Monitor conducted a survey (with multiple responses allowed) on alcohol consumption patterns and corkage free services among 1,000 adults. The results showed that 72.4% of respondents were willing to visit restaurants that provide corkage free services.

Corkage is a shortened term for Cork charge, a service where customers bring their own alcohol and the restaurant provides glasses and other utensils. Corkage free means being able to drink the brought-in alcohol without any additional fees. Although only 27.8% of respondents had used corkage free services, reflecting a somewhat low usage rate, 67.4% said they would choose a restaurant offering corkage free if the menu was similar, showing a positive perception of corkage free services amid ongoing high inflation.

However, as the burden of alcohol costs decreases, some respondents expressed concerns such as "I think I will spend more on meals (58.0%)" or "The food prices might be higher (57.9%)." Meanwhile, when using corkage free services, many respondents reported mainly drinking relatively expensive alcohol such as wine (69.8%) and spirits (47.0%).

The increased preference for corkage free services is interpreted as a result of many consumers feeling the overall rise in dining-out prices, including alcohol. Recent responses indicating that the price increases of soju and beer are noticeable were 90.7% and 89.7%, respectively, showing that most consumers feel burdened by alcohol prices.

The rise in alcohol prices is also affecting drinking culture. The response "It has become burdensome to pay for drinks at drinking gatherings" was high at 70.9%, and more than half of respondents also said "I often drink moderately and stop (66.0%)" and "There has been an increase in splitting the bill for drinks (50.6%)." As the burden of alcohol costs grows, the places and ways of enjoying drinking are also changing. 65.9% of respondents said "I buy alcohol more often at convenience stores and marts," and 53.7% reported that "the frequency of drinking at home has increased."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.