Hello,

I want to vent a little if I may! I had a cake tasting this morning. This lady shows up at my shop with her fiancé, her mother, her fiancés mother & father, her aunt & uncle, and their 4 children (of course everyone got a piece). I was not to upset considering I have all the cake I use in cake tasting pre-made. Ok, everything was going good until we starting talking about prices. We talked about what they wanted and what they could afford. Let me break it down for you, they have 400+ Guests at their reception, I suggested to make a small 3 tiered wedding cake and then sheet cakes to save money, they told me that, that sounds tacky and would not be interested in saving money this way. I was a little offended I always suggest this when someone starts getting a little upset over price, this seems to help them relax. So then they asked me how much it would cost, and when I told them, they just got up and left. They said nothing to me, just looked at my pricing sheet and got up and left. How rude I thought. I have been doing wedding cakes since 1999 and I have never been treated so rude! My price was very comparable. The cake they wanted from a magazine picture was 6 tier cascade with gum paste flower sprays, and Bavarian cream filling and basket weave. I priced it to them for $560 plus delivery charge of $35, this is very reasonable in my area. I thought that was not to much considering the gum paste flower arrangements take so much time, however I did not get to explain this to them, and should we have to, do people really think that all we have to do is bake a cake, slap some icing on it and it is ready to go! I am sorry I just wanted to vent a little.

Those folks don't deserve your good work - good ridence to them!

Don't let them bother you! I think they will be coming back with their tails between their legs! Your prices are fantastic. A couple of stops at different bakeries and they will realize their error!

Aww, sorry..big hugzzzzzzzzzzz to you. They may just come back! you never know!! and from now on, you should insist on tasting only for the bride and groom.

I would charge an extra $5.00 per person..or in your area maybe $2.50 per extra person...

You have to slice and serve and wash up after these people!!

What's to keep people from just showing up with a whole bunch of people to "taste" cakes that they are NOT interested in buying?

Do they think a tasting is like a FREE DESSERT BUFFET?

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Why on earth would the aunt and uncle need to be there for the cake tasting?! That's a bit much in my opinion. I bet they would have been nightmare clients and you should be relieved to not be dealing with them. Sorry that happened to you!

Block their phone number. You deserve better than that.

People don't realize how much time and talent it takes for all of their fancy stuff until they see it being done or try to do it themselves! i had a friend over and she wanted to learn how to make fondant roses. So I showed her and instructed her while she did her own roses. She developed a new respect for what I do, she told me. I am so sorry for this experience!

I agree with dollyo..........they always get that sticker shock on the first quote.....they'll go elsewhere and realize what a deal you were offering them!!! I wouldn't waist another second worrying about them.

Consider it a blessing in disguise! I mean would you really want to have to try and please them or PUT UP WITH THEM during the whole "cake process?" Let someone else put up with their garbage and you can leave that date open for the nice bride(s)....

Oh my Gosh, that's $1.40 a serving!!! I wonder how much they thought they were going to pay for a wedding cake, especially one like that. Forget those losers and move on. Folks like that would probably be haggling over everything all the way through to the end.

Mickig

Oh honey I feel for you! Do you realize how much you were undercharging for a cake of that size and with the amount of gumpaste flowers needed to cover something that big?! I live near Toronto in Ontario, Canada and fondant covered cakes don't go for under $4-$4.50 a serving, and thats without expensive gumpaste flowers. So they would not be getting that cake for under $1600 for 400 people and that is being stingy, most likely they wouldn't be getting it for under $2000-$3000. Gumpaste alone is expensive, and the amount of time it would take..

You know what, you're probably better off they did just get up and leave, without a huge fuss, because they may have said something they would have regretted. I can guarantee you they will NOT find someone who will do a cake for more then 400 people for less then what you were charging. (I mean that is less then $2 a serving, what are they thinking?!)

I think its a lot of nerve showing up with that many people for one thing, though now I think I may include a clause giving a maximum amount of people I will allow at a tasting, at least without incurring extra charges.(because I would die if 11 people showed up at my door!) There really is no need to have that many people at the tasting, especially the aunt and uncle AND their kids. So consider yourself lucky that you didn't have to deal with what could have been a real pain in the butt client!

You are taking it better then I probably would have, you have patience woman!

How rude!!!! I can't even imagine that they just walked out on you! Obviously they have problems (not you!!) and what a horrible example to set for the little ones that were there. Just use people and leave. No apologies neccesary. UGHHH! I hope you and anyone else they walk out on charge them for the tasting. No free desserts!!!

With all those family members there it seems like the actual reception was at YOUR PLACE!!

edited because I've had too much sugar today!

UNBELIEVABLE!!! i agree that they will realize soon enough that your price is fantastic. even if was a basic cake with no bling bling from a walmart bakery, they would pay more than that!! come on, we are talking 400+ people??? our local walmart charges a base of about 150 for just over a hundred small slices, and it has NO decorations, no fresh flowers, no designs, no fillings. its basically, choc or vanilla with cheap "buttercream". I think that your prices are fantastic for such time consuming work, do not be discouraged, it would have probably been bad business anyhow...if they bought a cake with a bad start, there would be endless problems and complaints along the way. some times, people just want something for nothing. keep your chin up- there will be easier and more respectful customers that will book that date.

When they come back, double your price! Or tell them you're booked! Are you really doing all this for just over one dollar/slice??? That seems way too low. Even the grocery stores here (San Diego) start at $3/slice for their dry cakes/simple designs with BC icing/filling.

I wouldn't let it bother you to much. I am not sure what area you live in but for a six tier cake with cascading gum paste flowers seem very reasonable to me. I think the majority of the people just don't understand the time it takes to put together a cake of this size. They are so used to the cakes from the grocery store which are cheaper. I have had so many people tell me that after eating my cakes and seeing the work I do with my cakes they wouldn't buy another grocery store cake. That is the ultimate satisfaction. So don't think about them for another minute. They just wanted a free piece of cake.LOL.
Faye

Their rudeness is a blessing in disquise. Think of it this way, it frees up your time to do a cake for someone who really appreciates the effort you put into your work.

Go ahead and have a good vent! As painful as it is to be treated in such a rude manner, you should be glad they left. The cost of the cake (including delivery charge) comes out to less than $1.50 per slice. Don't let this get you down. Just smile and imagine how they're going to feel once they start shopping around for cake and realize what a bargain you were offering.

WOW!! That's a new one for me.

Just got up & walked out? Hmmm......all of them, at once? I bet that was a site to see, lol!


I hope they don't try to come back, I think you'd be working with bridezilla & her entire family!

How funny is this, I just got a call from the rude bride, what was it 3 hours after they just left my shop, she called and asked if they could come back for another tasting, I told her sure, but the price has went up to $2000 and there would also be a $10 charge for each person in attendance for the tasting. Please tell me what where they thinking. You all are probably right I should charge more, but my competition only charges $.75/slice and her cakes are amazing. I thought that the new price and the charge for the new cake tasting would turn them off, and it has they will not be coming back. Thank goodness! I dodged a bullet with this one.

I agree they would probably be a pain in the you know what to deal with in the first place. Who needs them....at least you don't have to worry about dealing with them ever again....and I would refuse even if they begged to come back and have you make their cake...let them pay some outlandish amount for a cake from Wally World!! LOL

For the price you're charging I would have jumped at it. I live in rural North Dakota and the grocery store charged $1.50 a serving 6 years ago when we got married and knew of no one doing cakes. That was a buttercream cake with no fillings and no flavor choices.
They were terribly rude to have that many people show up, eat your cake and then walk out without saying anything.

countrysidecakes,

I applaud your professional grace under extreme pressure

What the x*#? were those people thinking

My guess is they weren't thinking at all. Obviously they hadn't done their homework and were totally clueless as to what to expect or how to conduct themselves at a tasting.

It almost reminds me of people who attend real estate open houses - just to get decorating ideas.....

I wonder what Colette would have done under these circumstances?

If experience is what we get, when we don't get what we wanted; then many have learned from your experience to structure their tastings to avoid similiar situations.

So sorry it had to happen to you, but I agree with everyone else who said those rude people don't deserve you.

I think maybe they deserve the "cake is nothing but bread and frosting" lady to make their cake.

Good for you!! Did she even apologize for her rudeness? I can't believe she wanted another tasting!

How does your competition do it for .75/slice? Are they paper thin??? How can she make any money at all?

That'll teach them to be so rude!!

If I'd ever pulled a stunt like that, I don't think I would have ever been able to call back.



You should have asked her why they just got up & left!!!!!



There's one bridezilla you don't have to worry about!

I am still blown away by the fact that she brought all of those people with her and then had the nerve to ask for ANOTHER tasting.
What is wrong with people?

I don't know where you are located, but you aren't charging nearly enough. And neither is the other cake lady, my god she's in worse shape. Why don't you give the other lady a call, and talk pricing with her, you need to get her to realize that she should be valuing herself higher.

BTW: I start at $3 a serving, and many run, but frankly I'm done working for free.

I think your prices seems very reasonable. Do't let those people get to you. Don't let those people get to you. Once they go somewhere else they will see howw stupid they looked walking away like that.

I really feel for you, although I am not in the business world of cakes.
I have never been thru this, but I can understand how you feel.

Not only that they were rude, but they were uncivilized to say the least.
Ignorant people are very stupid. Even if they didn't agree with your prices, they could at least be civilized and graceful about it, not just get up and walk away without even saying "Thank You"... Let's just hope they all choke on that cake they all enjoyed for nothing. If in case they contact you, just say "NO, I am booked already"..