How some restaurant chains hike the price of wine by more than FOUR times the real cost

RESTAURANT chains, including Cafe Rouge and ASK, are raising the prices of their wines by more than four times as much as they can be bought for online.

The eateries are ripping off customers by exploiting their lack of knowledge about wine to help boost profits.

The revelation comes after an investigation by found that Cafe Rouge was charging customers £25.95 for a bottle of La Campagne, a Sauvignon Blanc, which can be bought online for just £5.94 – a mark up of 337 per cent.

In ASK, a bottle of house red Primitivo costs £18.95, 293 per cent more than the same bottle bought online, which costs £4.81.

Other rip-offs include a £16.50 bottle of Lagarde Rouge 2015, which online costs just  £4.66 at Cote Brasserie.

Carluccios and Nando’s were found to have the smallest mark ups, while Cafe Rouge and ASK were the worst.

Chains were also found to be increasing the mark ups most on cheaper bottles of wine.

Wine writer Bruce Palling told The Mirror: “Since last year, restaurants have quietly increased their margins.

“Once it was three times the retail price, now it can be up to four times.

“If that wasn’t bad enough, 12.5 per cent service charge is added on top, which is now equivalent to half the wholesale price of the bottle.

“Even half-decent wines are unaffordable to most diners. The falling pound is also going to hit wine lovers.”

A spokesperson for Café Rouge justified its pricing by saying it reflects not just the actual cost of the wines themselves, but other costs that go into running a restaurant, such as people and training, rent, business rates, kitchens, design, utilities and VAT on all food and drinks.

They told The Daily Mirror: “Taking into consideration these many costs, we are confident that the guest experience and service we deliver represents good value.”

A Nando’s spokesperson said: “We offer our customers great value quality wines at a reasonable price”

The Sun Online has approached Cafe Rouge, Strada, Carluccio’s, Nando’s, Cote Brasserie and Ask for comment.

What the restaurants charge

Cafe Rouge

• La campagne, white
• Restaurant price £25.95
• Online price £5.94
• Mark up:
• 4.4 times

Carluccios

• Vecchia Modena Prosecco
• Restaurant price £30
• Online price £13.95
• Mark up 2.1 times

Nando’s

• Grand Arte Shiraz, red
• Restaurant price £17.95
• Online price £8.97
• Mark up 2 times

Strada

• Araldiva, Chardonnay, white
• Restaurant price £18.95
• Online price £5
• Mark up 3.8 times

ASK Italian

• I Muri, Bianco Salento, white
• Restaurant price £18.95
• Online price £4.67
• Mark up 4.1 times

Cote Brasserie

• Lagarde Rouge, 2005, red
• Restaurant price £16.50
• Online price £4.66
• Mark up 3.5 times