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First Unhappy Customer - Need Advice - Picture included! - Page 4

post #46 of 113
6/2/08 at 7:46pm
You can't please everyone, I had one customer complain that a double layer 14" cake would'nt serve 30 people, and she was going to have to buy cupcakes from walmart, and this was before she cut the cake.
A double layer 14" cake should serve 78 according to Wilton, so even if she cut the pieces double the standard serving size she still would have got 30 servings.
To avoid any serving problems I make sure to tell the customer how big a "standard' serving is, but I also inform them my servings are a bit larger but if they want a "home slice" then they need to order more cake, and of course pay for it.
But everyone makes mistakes, I had to include some cupcakes with the last skateboard cake I did because it came up short, only serving 18 and not 20.
Sorry this happenend, I would'nt give her any money back , maybe offer her a discount on the next cake.
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post #47 of 113
6/2/08 at 7:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by patrincia

Cake designers are very aware of this issue and can be a little more proactive to ensure the customer knows what they are paying for.


I agree! thumbs_up.gif
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post #48 of 113
6/2/08 at 7:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi


I can't say I know how old this particular birthday kid was, but I was just addressing a comment about wedding portions being 'unrealistic' for children's birthday parties. icon_smile.gif

THey are welcome to cut it any size they want ... but if they KNOW they are feeding (for example) teenage boys, then as a mother of a teenage boy, *I* know that I have to get more cake than what is "normal".

It is not my responsibility as a cake decorator to provide bigger servings at the same price because the client is feeding a small army of teenage Jethro's.

Any mother out there who has ever planned an event for teenage boys knows how this works.



Yep - I agree!
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post #49 of 113
6/2/08 at 7:53pm
First the price: For a carved cake she got a steal even if it really did serve just 10. Our local grocery store sells their 9x13 sheets for $20.


Serving size I agree with indydebi:

Even my husband says that unless cake is the only thing he's eating a Wilton wedding size serving is plenty. He's one of those guys without an ounce of fat who eats like a horse.

For children at a birthday party where they are more interested in playing with new toys I find that I throw out a good number of unfinished 1x2x4 slices.

When I have guests over if they are having larger slices of cake it isn't right after a meal. Even the men. People are either watching their waists or are just too full.

For the OP's customer I fail to see how it's her problem that the lady isn't cutting the right size slices. Even if she failed to give a serving chart it isn't rocket science to figure out a cake of that shape.
"If we are going to teach 'creation science' as an alternative to evolution, then we should also teach the stork theory as an alternative to biological reproduction." - Judith Hayes
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"If we are going to teach 'creation science' as an alternative to evolution, then we should also teach the stork theory as an alternative to biological reproduction." - Judith Hayes
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post #50 of 113
6/2/08 at 7:57pm
As I was reading this post I was hoping indydebi would chime in...I totally agree that if people want bigger servings than they need to order more cake.

My first wedding I learnt the lesson about just how much cake a 1x2x4 piece is. Thank goodness it was for a friend and we were just trying to figure it out together. Only 1/2 of the bottom tier actually got eaten from a 3 tiered cake. The next wedding cake the bride tells me "we're big cake eaters" and I said "I think it will be too much cake". The feedback I got was how moist it was 2 days later...umm...guess she didn't need all that cake!

I find that it is very important to educate people on how to cut the cake...before I cut into one of my cakes I thought there was no way it would serve that many people...and was surprised on how large these servings actually are!
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post #51 of 113
6/2/08 at 8:01pm
I worked in a pizza restaurant as a teenager. I did the birthday parties. I was always amazed that we took at 10 in round cake, maybe 5 or 6 in hi, and got about 16 slices out of it. And still there was leftover cake everywhere! Yesterday I made an airplane cake. I sculpted it out of the 13 x 9 7/8 in oval pan. Once my mom saw it, she thought it wasn't enough. So, I took the 6 in round that I'd cooked up the extra batter in and just iced it really quick and through my nephew's name and age on it. 1/2 the people at the party didn't eat the cake. Just the kids and one of my sister's. The 6 in round fed EVERYONE! Only my sister complained about the wimpy slices and insisted on more. The airplane finished the night intact! Anyone who has ever hosted a party should know that you can cust 1x4x4 slices and some people will eat them. If other food has been served, it really is just too much cake and most of it will go to waste.
I never met a cake I didn't like.

Kristy
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I never met a cake I didn't like.

Kristy
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post #52 of 113
6/2/08 at 8:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Quote:
Originally Posted by patrincia

Yes, this size portion might indeed be appropriate for a 6 or 7 year old, but considering this cake is a skateboard with a scull and flames on it, I'm thinking he was probably quite a bit older. Do we know how old he was?



I can't say I know how old this particular birthday kid was, but I was just addressing a comment about wedding portions being 'unrealistic' for children's birthday parties. icon_smile.gif

THey are welcome to cut it any size they want ... but if they KNOW they are feeding (for example) teenage boys, then as a mother of a teenage boy, *I* know that I have to get more cake than what is "normal".

It is not my responsibility as a cake decorator to provide bigger servings at the same price because the client is feeding a small army of teenage Jethro's.

Any mother out there who has ever planned an event for teenage boys knows how this works.



My boys are 5 and 9 and this cake would be appealing to any grade school boy so I wouldn't assume it was for a teenager. Last fall at age 4 my little one was picking out skulls, snakes, flames and dragons for shirts.

As a female who grew up with 4 brothers I learned long ago that teenage boys eat about 4 times as much as a normal person. Even at the age of 14 I knew better than to cook based on what was considered a serving.

If it was to serve teenage boys the mother dropped the ball on servings not the baker no matter how you look at it.
"If we are going to teach 'creation science' as an alternative to evolution, then we should also teach the stork theory as an alternative to biological reproduction." - Judith Hayes
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"If we are going to teach 'creation science' as an alternative to evolution, then we should also teach the stork theory as an alternative to biological reproduction." - Judith Hayes
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post #53 of 113
6/2/08 at 8:05pm
Unless my eyes are deciving me, I could see 20 maybe a small amount more on that cake. My brother is 10, and I am doing a skateboard cake for his 11th b-day, and I know that with pizza, soda and snacks, that cake would feed at least 20 of them.
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post #54 of 113
6/2/08 at 8:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mbelgard

For the OP's customer I fail to see how it's her problem that the lady isn't cutting the right size slices. Even if she failed to give a serving chart it isn't rocket science to figure out a cake of that shape.



Yes, I'm sure the customer was able to cut the cake into 20 equal slices. She obviously wanted to serve larger slices.... even more reason to clarify how large the slices will be when the order is placed.

To totally change the subject... do you all think this cake really qualifies as a "carved" cake? Just wondering what your opinions are.
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post #55 of 113
6/2/08 at 8:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by patrincia

Quote:
Originally Posted by mbelgard

For the OP's customer I fail to see how it's her problem that the lady isn't cutting the right size slices. Even if she failed to give a serving chart it isn't rocket science to figure out a cake of that shape.



Yes, I'm sure the customer was able to cut the cake into 20 equal slices. She obviously wanted to serve larger slices.... even more reason to clarify how large the slices will be when the order is placed.

To totally change the subject... do you all think this cake really qualifies as a "carved" cake? Just wondering what your opinions are.



yes...any time you have to cut cake out of something that's not it's original cake is carved...

and I am not sure if everyone saw her demensions?
it was a 13"L by 4" W cake!!!

that's why I had how many it would serve the way I did!
It's not "just" cake...it's my life!
WI State Representative for Icing Smiles...start 'Baking a Difference" today!
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It's not "just" cake...it's my life!
WI State Representative for Icing Smiles...start 'Baking a Difference" today!
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post #56 of 113
6/2/08 at 8:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by step0nmi


and I am not sure if everyone saw her demensions?
it was a 13"L by 4" W cake!!!

that's why I had how many it would serve the way I did!



I think most people saw the dimensions, but not everyone has a different serving size for party vs wedding cakes. For many of us, a serving of cake is a serving of cake, and if the customer wants a bigger serving, then they will need to order a bigger cake. I don't think the 1x2x4 is the tiny sliver of cake that many act like it is.

I know that if I had always stuck to a modest but sufficient serving size like this for everything I eat, I wouldn't have the weight problem that I do now. icon_redface.gif
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post #57 of 113
6/2/08 at 9:04pm
I discussed serving sizes recently on another thread and what I had said was that I for the first time served a very large cake (100 servings) cutting the slices in 1"x2"x4" slices. These were very large sizes...I was amazed because on paper it doesn't sound so big...anyway this cake ended up serving 150. My husband was helping me and kept telling me to cut them even smaller!
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post #58 of 113
6/2/08 at 9:42pm
I wouldn't refund or offer a discount. The cake was more than big enough for 20 servings and was dirt cheap at that. I have a miminum order now of $100 so even if I sold it at my rate without a minimum I would have charged her $60 for it.

That must a been a PITA to ice for one thing!

As far as servings go - people who want large slabs of cake need to order more. Heck...I wish my Toyota was bigger but it is the size I ordered so there is no use to gripe that it is not big enough to drag the cross country team around. Toyota will tell me I should have bought a Sequoia! I do tell my brides that my cake sizes are based on a 1x2x4 piece of cake that is roughly the size of a half sandwich a "polite piece of cake - not Uncle Charley LOVES cake piece of cake".

My grandma used to say " Fair understanding brings no falling out". I make sure my clients KNOW what they are getting and I have never had someone tell me they didn't have enough cake.
Sugar Artist in Progress
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Sugar Artist in Progress
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post #59 of 113
6/2/08 at 10:18pm
I agree with pratnicia! and by the way your cake looks great!
''GOD DOESN'T ALWAYS GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT,SOMETIMES HE GIVES YOU SOMETHING BETTER!
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''GOD DOESN'T ALWAYS GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT,SOMETIMES HE GIVES YOU SOMETHING BETTER!
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post #60 of 113
6/2/08 at 10:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Laura102777

I know that if I had always stuck to a modest but sufficient serving size like this for everything I eat, I wouldn't have the weight problem that I do now. icon_redface.gif



Amen!
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