A client was supposed to pick up her cake between 10:30-11:00am this morning. It's now 1:45, and she never showed. She said the party was for 2:00pm, and she lives 30 minutes from my house. She's already paid me. This is the first time I've dealt with a customer who I don't know, and the first time someone never showed up. I can't reach her - the only # she gave was a cell, which isn't working. I've tried 411-ing her, and she's not listed. I've been waiting all day with the cake on my table. I have a signed contract in my hands that says she was supposed to pick it up. I have lots of things to do today, and can't sit around waiting any more. How do I handle this? TIA!!!

Go about your business. This is her responsibility. And don't give her a refund, you did your part. If she calls upset, explain everything you did to get a hold of her, show her the "customer will pick up cake" part of the contract, and then politley tell her you did everything you could.

You don't have to babysit this woman.

Does she have your telephone number, or was this done in person? If she has your number, then she is responsible for contacting you in the event of any emergency, car break down, etc.

I would give her until 3:30 to contact you. She already paid you, so it's not like you are getting stiffed.

But then, I don't have any reason to leave my home today, so if she doesn't show up by 4, and the cake is chocolate, she is out of luck.

Theresa

Thanks so much. I guess I should wait a little longer, and yes she has my number. This was done by phone, the contract was emailed to her, and she promptly returned it (signed) with a check for the full amount. It's pretty ironic that over the phone she said "This is the easiest cake order you'll ever have." Ha, yeah right.

It's not chocolate, but it is Thomas the Train - and my 2 1/2 year old son has been eyeing it up all morning.

Oh well, BIG lesson learned today!!!

I'd wait until an hour after she was supposed to be there...put it on the porch and leave a note accordingly. Someone steals it or vermin get into it...oh well....she didn't live up to her end of the bargain. Your life cannot revolve around your customers' whims. This is a BIG lesson in getting paid ahead of time. Good for you on that score!

That's really strange that she hasn't at least called you.
I could see it if she hadn't payed you..but...
Who would order a cake an not pick it up?
Maybe something has happened, i hope everything is ok.

I suppose there might have be accident or family emergency. Something that put a child's party at bottom of the list.

So, I'm the nosey one .... Have you heard from them?

What ever the problem it only takes a phone call to tell you she will be late!!!!!I am the sort of person that HATES excuses whatever they maybe!!!It takes 5 sec for a phone call and for some reason when you are waiting for someone to collect the more reason you do not want to be in waiting.....I always deliver!!!I hate waiting for people plus I worry about someone else driving with the cake. Let us know what happens

Me, too, what happened? Did she call, did she pick up the cake?

You did everything correctly. I guess the only thing more to have done was an address and phone number for her home. But, that really is her problem, not yours, since she agreed to pick up the cake.

Hmmm maybe one of you got the date wrong?? I'm not trying to put the blame on you - maybe she wrote it wrong or said it wrong and she didn't catch it. Still that would be her fault - I'm just wondering....... too weird. At least you got paid up front! way to go!

Did she finally contact you? I hope everything was ok...that poor little boy!

You did all you could.
What did happen - has she turned up or contacted you?

I never heard from her! Yesterday evening around 5:30 I emailed her, saying "I hope everything is okay. After I didn't see you this morning for your cake pickup, I tried calling your cell phone several times. Unfortunately, I only received a message that wanted me to "enter the 10 digit mailbox number." I was unable to leave a message. According to your signed cake contract, your son's party was for 2pm today. I hope everything is alright."

I haven't received a response. I did have her mailing address. I tried 411-ing her using all the information I had, but they're not listed. And I had trouble reaching her by cell phone before - but she said "that was the best number to reach her." Oh well, I've done all I could!

Incidentally, the Thomas cake is still sitting on my table - my husband really thought I should wait until tonight to cut it up, in case she tries to contact me.

Put the cake in the freezer and give her a couple of days to contact you. if you don't hear anything, then go ahead and cut up the cake, whatever. Sometimes dates get mixed up, things like that...
Good luck!

Why didnt I think of that . It is more than likely the incorrect date....

I have to agree it may have been a mistake on the date... hubby's boss has been planning a christmas party ALL year!!! and sent out the invites today at work... the date verbally announced all year was December 16th Saturday... the invite says Saturday December 17th! so he's having to ask her is it Sat the 16th or Sunday the 17th....

It could just be she got the date wrong hopefully it's not for NEXT weekend! Good thing you got paid in advance

Who knows - I may never know! Oh well if it is for this weekend I can't do it! She should have looked over that contract VERY carefully!!!

if it's in the freezer, won't it be okay? Is it buttercream or fondant? Can you freeze a decorated cake??

Buttervream and fondant you can freeze but when you take it out the fondant will started to become glossy DO NOT TOUCH IT IT IS WET but will dry itself out if you touch you will leave fingerprints behind. PS just clarify this with the USA lot because our fondant in the uk is not like yours over there. Good luck hope it ends up well.

Satin Ice freezes beautifully. I don;t konw about other Fondants..I don't think Wilton allows you to freeze it.

The fondant is MMF, but I don't have room in my freezer for a 10x14 boxed cake anyway.

BTW, still no word from her yet. I still can't through on the number she left either.

That's a shame she didn't come to pick it up. Does your contract say the date you made it for? If it does, she signed it and you're fine. If it says next weekend, you'll have to make it again......hope you don't have to do that!!!!

now i have a question... lets say she remakes it because the customer had the wrong date... is there a charge difference? and how much would she do it for in this case?... just curious.

Oh my! Gosh let's hope the person is okay?

I would think you will be able to reach her before the cake goes bad (in the next day or two) -- I'm with the others-- sounds like a miscommunication over the date-- I'm sure otherwise she would be in a panic to call you or to have someone else call you.

You can try her tonight and tomorrow and hopefully you can explain and tell her to pick up & freeze the cake. (This is assuming it was her mistake, not yours) -- Is the date for pick-up in the contract that she signed? Sorry this happened to you!! Not a fun situation to be in

BriAnnas I would say if she has to remake the cake for a different date because the orderer got the date wrong, then the orderer/purchaser would be asked to pay for another cake in total, or at least in half, just my opinion and the way I would do it.

Now if there was a horrible accident or something like that uncontrolable and unannouncable, then I'd cut her some slack and maybe ask for $20.~ more for having to go thru it all again.

But IMO there are very few reasons why a client can't call to cancel or reschedule. And if the client themselves was unable to do so you'd think their spouse or someone else close to the family would call and say there's been a family emergency the party has been rescheduled we're sorry for the inconvience.

The way I see it is, small bakeries charge you upon ordering if it's a large cake, you don't pick it up they can resell it to someone else.... she can't do that here, so she has to trash this whole cake or serve it up, then would have to remake it.... if it were me, I'd politely tell the woman you're outta luck you either pay again in full and make sure you're here on time to pick it up or go elsewhere for it. Maybe a little harsh but I've had someone knock on my door and call my house at 3 am wanting to pick up their cake they were supposed to pick up the previous morning at 10 am....

allissweets
I've sent you a Private Message. HTH

interesting i would have thought that also...

I remember the phone call very vividly, because she was with a friend (the one who recommended me to her in fact - I don't even know that person - she just happened to be at a party where I made a cake). And that same friend asked if I could make a cake for her as well on December 3rd, and I said no that I couldn't.
The very top of my contract reads:
Client Name: xxxx   
Contact Number: xxxx
Alternate Number: (she didn't give one)  
Client Address: xxxx
Email Address: xxxx
Event Date: Sunday, December 3, 2006
Event Time: 2:00pm
Pickup Time: 10:30-11:00am

And I have a blurb below that about not delivering cakes, and customers picking them up and assuming responsibility for them once the cake's been picked up. I even asserted that I don't have the ability to deliver, and was that a problem since she lived 30 minutes from me - she said, "no not at all."

The customer initialed and signed off on this. I'm quite sure this wasn't a mistake on my part, making the cake on the wrong day. But if it was, it was her responsibility to read and review the contract to make sure the information is correct. If you walk into any bakery, you're expected/required to review all of the information - dates, times, and cake details - and then make payment in full. If this was an honest mistake, where she gave me the wrong date and/or overlooked the date on the contract, then I still cannot refund her money. She paid for a product, and the price for that product includes my time, materials, and ingredients. I cannot get that back.

I sincerely hope that everything is alright for her - because I cannot believe under ordinary circumstances a person would pay for a cake and then never pick it up!

This seems to have snowballed into quite a dilemma. Has this never happened to anyone before?