Is the Second-Cheapest Bottle of Wine Really the Best Deal on the Menu?

When ordering wine for the table, even the most seasoned drinkers must navigate the preferences of their dining companions, a wine list filled with bottles that may be unfamiliar, and the responsibility to find something that fits the table’s budget. 

Despite the many reasons to love and respect wine, so many variables can make it confusing and add barriers to entry. Intimidated diners might look to familiar terms like Bordeaux, Pinot Noir, Sancerre, or California Cabernet. And more often than not, people order the second-cheapest bottle on the list. 

Even wine professionals aren’t impervious to the allure of the second-cheapest bottle. Why are so many experts and newbies alike drawn to it? I talked to colleagues, industry folks, friends and family about the topic. I even took to Instagram to poll my followers on their experiences. 

Do people order the second-cheapest bottle of wine?

A stark majority of people polled admitted that they often order the second-cheapest bottle on a wine list. But the data is a bit mixed, given the respondents. 

For the more general population (read: my Instagram followers who skew younger and don’t garner massive paychecks nor have access to unchecked corporate expense accounts), 100 of the 119 respondents said they select the second-cheapest wine. 

My colleagues, a more self-selecting group that spend far more time than the average consumer thinking about food- and wine-related topics, the data was more mixed. Approximately 60% said they always select a bottle based on what they want and how much they want to spend. They claim to not be impacted by whether it’s the second-cheapest or not. 

While I anticipated an age split between these camps, the results showed more variety than I expected. A shocking outlier is my 68-year-old father. He’s new to Instagram, but he’s an excited contributor to any work-related question I pose on the platform. He admitted shyly to often ordering the second-cheapest bottle on a menu. This was surprising, as he’s the son of a wine importer. 

In my dad’s camp were wine drinkers from their early 20s and every decade in between. Both wine professionals and new wine drinkers admitted to seeking out this price point. 

On the other hand, those who never do this were largely members of the wine industry. The group included importers, winemakers, and our executive wine editor, Ray Isle, who simply replied: “Uh, no…”.

Why do people order the second-cheapest bottle of wine?

This particular bottle offers a number of attractions, most driven by the psychological needs of the orderer. 

My friend, Paige Chamberlain, summed up many of the responses: “I don’t want to seem like a cheap-o, but I don’t want to break the bank.” Others expressed concern that to order the cheapest bottle of wine would indicate to their server or sommelier that they were an uninformed or unsophisticated diner. 

Food & Wine staffers, on the other hand, have zero shame. “I’m not afraid of ordering the cheapest bottle of wine,” says photo editor Doan Nguyen, “if it’s a decent restaurant with a good beverage program, all of their wines should be good.” 

As a 20-something who is also a wine expert, I fall somewhere in between. I’m often handed the wine list when out with friends, family, and my friend’s families, too. It’s hard to know how much folks want to spend, but I tend to order something in the lower-end range of a list that offers good value. 

But, to make that move, I’m leveraging my own knowledge as a person who works in the drinks space and knows a lot about wine regions that offer good value for quality. Such “inside baseball” isn’t all that accessible. 

Do sommeliers use the second-cheapest bottle to rip off customers? 

Some consumers assert that sommeliers use a diner’s propensity to order the second-cheapest bottle to their own advantage: “The second-cheapest bottle on a wine list often carries one of the highest markups, since restaurants know it’s a go-to choice for guests who want to appear cost-conscious without actually ordering the least-expensive option,” says Heather Muriello, a wine expert and content strategy consultant. “This makes it prime real estate for markup, and  operators strategically place a wine in that slot that either has a lower wholesale cost or a higher profit margin, ensuring they maximize revenue on what’s often one of the most frequently ordered bottles.” 

Given the attention that the second-cheapest bottle receives on a wine list, Muriello’s assertion makes a lot of sense. The intent, though, can be mutually beneficial. One respondent shared that “a wine distributor friend once told [them] that restaurants know how many people will order the second-cheapest bottle, so they make it an especially good one.” 

Some sommeliers also see their less expensive wine offerings as an opportunity to push guests out of their comfort zones. 

“There is opportunity to pepper in some fun wines that are potentially a bit more obscure by finding wines in that category at a lower price point,” says Liz Martinez, general manager and sommelier at Centrolina in Washington D.C. “A number of guests are willing to be adventurous with these wines, given their price, and I love to approach and chat with them about what they’ve ordered — it shows them that the lower-priced bottles are just as important as the luxury wines on a list. For me, it’s a win-win, because at the end of the day? I want to see our guests drinking wine.” 

Food & Wine editorial director and longtime bar and hospitality veteran Dylan Garret agrees. “I have no problem with the cheapest, I love the cheapest,” he says. “In my wine bar-managing life, it was usually the best wine I could find that was accessibly tasty with a solid case discount. I put way more thought into what was going to be the cheapest.” 

Should you order the second-cheapest bottle of wine?

At the end of the day, what is in your glass should be your choice. If you look to spend less, the second-cheapest bottle is a good option. Don’t be worried about what your server or sommelier will think of you if you go for the lowest price point. 

If you’re feeling lost, take a tip from Muriello: Ask for help. “A great approach [to ordering good wine at a lower price point] is asking the sommelier or server for their best value recommendation,” she says. “More often than not, they’re excited to point you toward a hidden gem that delivers far more than the predictable second-cheapest option.”

Here’s what people had to say about ordering the second-cheapest bottle

“I want the wine to be cheap, but feel like it’ll be higher quality than the cheapest.” 

“It’s all psychological. I think it’s going to suffice, but don’t want to be too cheap!”

“Psychologically, it’ll be higher quality than the cheapest, but I’m still not spending a lot.”

“[I order the second-cheapest bottle] because I work in the publishing industry,” said a food editor (reader note: publishing is unfortunately, and notoriously, a low-paying industry). 

“The cheapest is always trash. The second feels more thoughtfully selected,” said one public relations professional who works with wine clients. 

“I go for the 3rd cheapest. It’s not a sacrifice in quality and is still at a reasonable-enough price point to order a second bottle.”

My friend, a 27-year-old medical student, simply replied, “because, *class*” 

“Cause it’s not the cheapest and is often great.”  

“Sometimes the second-cheapest is still not cheap! But if it’s in a range I’m comfortable with, I will order the second-cheapest bottle.”

“I usually try to pick somewhere in the bottom half, I want to try new things!” 

“It really depends on the type of wine for me! I’m fine with a cheap white wine, but a bit pickier with reds.”

“I only order it if I don’t see something else I like!”

“My hope is that its slightly better than the cheapest lol” 

“Hehe I don’t want the waiters to think I’m cheap and don’t know what I’m doing!” 

“To not look like a cheap ass!” 

“To not be a cheapo, but not break the bank.”

“It’s not house wine, so it feels like a step up.” 

“I will do this, especially when the second or near-second-cheapest option is from an interesting location.”