Frequently Asked Questions

How We Crunch the Numbers

SavvySipper doesn't guess. When you scan a wine list, our engine instantly cross-references every bottle against live retail pricing databases and millions of crowd-sourced quality ratings. We then run those figures through our proprietary algorithm to calculate the exact venue markup, factoring in the true cost-per-ml across every glass, carafe, and bottle. The result? A definitive, data-backed verdict combining taste and fairness, so you know exactly what's in your glass.

What exactly does SavvySipper do?

SavvySipper is your pocket sommelier and wine-list auditor. We use advanced data analysis to rapidly compare a restaurant’s wine list against estimated national retail prices. By revealing the margin (the mark-up) and the aggregate quality scores, we help you find the smartest, fairest pours on the menu so you can order with total confidence.

How accurate are the retail prices you show?

Our retail prices are highly educated AI estimates, drawn from vast databases of current UK retail and online merchant pricing. Because restaurant wine lists change frequently and vintages vary, these figures are designed to act as a highly reliable compass rather than to-the-penny financial advice. They give you a clear, immediate picture of the venue's pricing structure so you can spot the bargains and avoid the traps.

Why does the margin matter more than the final price?

It is a common misconception that the cheapest bottle on the menu is the best deal. In hospitality, the second-cheapest bottle often carries the highest percentage mark-up in the building. By focusing on the margin, you might discover that spending an extra £10 unlocks a bottle of significantly higher quality that the restaurant has barely marked up. We don't want to discourage spending; we want to encourage smart spending.

Why do we suggest the Table Hero?

The Table Hero is our data-backed sweet spot bottle on every audited wine list. Rather than defaulting to the second-cheapest bottle (which often carries the highest mark-up in the room) or an eye-wateringly expensive reserve bottle, the Table Hero pinpoints the exact wine that balances an outstanding crowd rating with some of the fairest restaurant-to-retail margins on the list. It’s handpicked to delight everyone at the table while keeping your bill mathematically smart.

Why don't you feature Sweet or Fortified wines?

We intentionally exclude dessert wines, Ports, and Sherries from our platform. These wines operate on completely different math—they are typically poured in much smaller measures (50ml-100ml) and are rarely ordered by the bottle for a table to share. Furthermore, their community ratings tend to be disproportionately high compared to standard table wines, which unfairly skews our venue grading curve. By keeping our focus exclusively on red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines, we ensure our insights and venue comparisons remain as accurate and relevant as possible.

What are the best tips for getting an accurate scan?

• Keep it to the Grape: Our AI is a wine specialist. Please ensure your photo only contains wine, not cocktails or beers.
• Stubborn Website Links: If a restaurant's digital PDF firewall blocks our URL scanner, simply take a screenshot of the menu on your phone and upload the image instead.
• Lighting is Everything: If snapping a physical menu, make sure the text is in focus and free of heavy glare so the AI can read the vintages clearly.
• Missing Glass Sizes: If a menu lists "Glass" without a specific volume, our algorithm mathematically presumes a standard UK 175ml pour for still wine (and 125ml for sparkling) when calculating the Glass Tax.
• Multiple Pages: You can only upload one image or file at a time. If a wine list spans across several photos, we recommend using a free app or AI tool to stitch them together into a single PDF before uploading!

Why aren't all my favourite restaurants listed yet?

We are constantly expanding our directory of scanned menus. If you are sitting in a venue that isn't on our radar yet, you can use the "Scan a Wine List" feature to upload a photo or a link. Our engine will crunch the numbers and uncork the insights for you in seconds.

What is the Savvy Score?

The Savvy Score is an independent 100-point rating assigned to every audited venue menu. It evaluates four key criteria: Margin Fairness (25 pts), Crowd Score (25 pts), Glass Tax Fairness (25 pts), and Menu Discovery (25 pts).

How does a venue become Savvy Accredited?

Accreditation is strictly performance-based. Any venue achieving an overall Savvy Score of 80/100 or higher automatically earns the gold Savvy Accredited badge.

Can a venue pay to become Accredited or boost their score?

Absolutely not. The Savvy Score is calculated purely by an unbiased algorithm analysing real menu prices against market retail data and ratings. You cannot buy a Savvy Score or pay to alter your markups on our site.

How often are Savvy Scores updated?

Scores are re-calculated automatically whenever a new or updated menu photo/link is scanned and processed by the SavvySipper community or venue management.

Does SavvySipper hate restaurants?

Absolutely not! We love the hospitality industry. Historically, wine tech has antagonised venues by weaponising data against them. We take a different approach. We believe in a win-win-win ecosystem. We champion venues that offer transparent, fair pricing, and we even offer the SavvySipper Selects Accreditation to restaurants that respect their diners' wallets.

I’m a venue manager. How can I get my wine list accredited?

If you are proud of your pricing and want to attract value-conscious diners who appreciate a well-curated list, we want to hear from you. We offer a complimentary, zero-risk Margin Audit to hospitality professionals. If your list meets our data-driven standards for fair value and quality, you could earn our SavvySipper Selects badge.