If your favorite restaurant doesn't have your favorite bottle of wine, you may soon be able to bring your own.
A bill in the Texas Legislature would allow patrons to bring a bottle of wine to a restaurant, even if the business has a liquor license.
The bill might save thrifty diners a few bucks, but restaurant owners said it could drain their bottom line.
"I can't think that any business owner would like that, if they own a restaurant, because that's what we do, is sell wine," said Sara Tillman, owner of Tillman's Roadhouse in Dallas' Bishop Arts District. "We want people to buy it from us so we can pay our bills."
The bill would also allow the customer to leave with the bottle if he or she didn't finish it. The bill does have a provision to allow owners to charge a corking fee.
Tillman doesn't allow her customers to bring in outside wine bottles. She said she pays plenty for her selection and licenses.
