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How much should I charge per person for this cake tasting? - Page 2

post #16 of 24
1/5/11 at 11:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by FromScratchSF

There are a few places here that only offer tastings at a the same time, same day once a month, you RSVP to attend it (I don't know if there is a charge). Has anyone had any experience with that type of appointment? I'm not sure how the consultation part happens, I just imagine a room full of people eating cake and leaving, but these bakeries must have some success with it otherwise they wouldn't be doing it, right?



I do kind of the same thing, with all my appointments on one day back to back. It works for me, and I'm going to try an open house this month too. that would be less of individual appointments and more of a tasting only with general questions being answered.
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http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
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post #17 of 24
1/5/11 at 5:09pm
I've started offering a "Baker's Choice" tasting which is free and includes 3 flavors of cake and filling of my choosing (whatever I have on hand at the time). I also offer a "Bride's choice" where they can pick 3 flavors and 3 fillings and it costs them $25.

I limit it 4 people total.

I just had one mom ask if they could please bring a 5th person since Grandma was visiting from out of town. I charged her an extra $10.
Tact is telling someone where to go so nicely they can't wait to take the trip!
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Tact is telling someone where to go so nicely they can't wait to take the trip!
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post #18 of 24
1/5/11 at 5:22pm
I do it both ways. I offer whatever I am making that week or if I have a large amount of consultations I will book them back to back, give them what I am making that week and make an extra cake of a special flavour. It is also a plus to try to get a bulk number of consultations done in 2 days instead of dragging it out over a month.
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post #19 of 24
1/14/12 at 12:25pm
I'm also pretty new to this as well and i have a bride who would like to "purchase" an assortment of cupcakes (mostly chocolate and vanilla with a few different varities of BC) to taste. I'm not sure if i should charge her for it or also put it towards the final bill if she chooses to sign a contract with me.

And if choose to charge how much? Any advice is always greatly appreciatedicon_smile.gif
My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished 2 bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.
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My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished 2 bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.
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post #20 of 24
1/17/12 at 2:34pm
I do tastings only 1 Sat. a month. And I let them know this is for 2 people only. Sometimes it's the couple, other times it's the bride and mom etc.
After I was stood up a few times, I began to charge a "deposit" of $25 which is applied toward the cost of their cake.
I do think I've lost some customers... well, not real customers but brides who are out playing and tasting everything they can, even if they cannot afford the bakery. Personally, I don't mind that I've not had to waste my time or ingredients on them. Charging has definitely made it so that only the customers truly interested in getting my cakes have my time.

(On a side note, I do allow them to choose up to 3 flavors. Usually they only want 2 though.)
Mummy of 4
Lover of cake.
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Mummy of 4
Lover of cake.
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post #21 of 24
1/17/12 at 3:59pm
I ended up being the person who did the tastings at the bakery I worked for. The owner did not charge. We would serve a 4" french vanilla cake with two fillings, bavarian cream and raspberry on opposite sides of each other. The cake was smooth iced in buttercream with a shell border. She would also serve a chocolate cake ball with the bride to be's initial on top of it. She'd put them on a clear small glass cake pedestal..very pretty. Then we'd have glass plates and water in a cute pitcher and a sliver server to cut the cake with, silver forks and clear china plates to serve them with. The presentation was what impressed people. She basically just gave them a taste of vanilla cake and a taste of what her chocolate cake was in the cake ball. The two fillings were our most requested and that's what she used.

It worked great. Whenever there was extra batter on baking days, she'd make however many 4" rounds she could and freeze them. We'd do that too with other flavors.
If someone wanted a specific cake flavor, if we had it we'd serve it. If not, they had to buy a dozen cupcakes or a small cake.

Oh...and we'd let the bride-to-be cut the small cake 'for the practice'. They loved it.
A closed mouth gathers no feet.
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A closed mouth gathers no feet.
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post #22 of 24
1/17/12 at 4:22pm
K8memphis- yes, the tasting is basically free if they order a cake. I don't mind giving some cake away for free when they order a wedding cake from me.
I do make a little bit as it doesn't cost a full $25 to bake for them.

I bake 2 reg. cupcakes in each flavor. I "stuff" them with filling, and top with my buttercream. I always have forks for them to eat with, an top them with something cute... a flower, a sprinkle, a cookie etc. I always also take a small sample of both my white and chocolate fondant.

I freeze my leftover batter in ziplock bags, then cut the tip and squirt into the cup. voila! It helps me not waste a lot of batter that way!

I love the idea of the 4" on a pedestal. Cute idea, but my flavors are so different I like the bride to get a sample of what she is interested in so I could give 4" cakes in every flavor icon_smile.gif
Mummy of 4
Lover of cake.
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Mummy of 4
Lover of cake.
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post #23 of 24
1/17/12 at 4:52pm
I did an open house when I first started out to see what people thought of my recipes. I experimented with some flavors and allowed people to try them. I had a 2 day event. IT WAS A MAD HOUSE! Parents bringing kids, kids stealing samples, parents allowing it to happen.Kids screaming and I wasnt able to sit down with anyone and take because other guests just came over and acted like it was some kind of party. This will NOT happen again for me. I got a lot of orders from it but it was pure madness. A few people came both days just to stop by and get free cake.
So needless to say this wont happen again. In future I'm going to pick one day each month to have people stop by to sample "with an appointment" and they will be limited to 1 guest and NO KIDS EVER!
I'm a cake geek and I am proud of it!
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I'm a cake geek and I am proud of it!
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post #24 of 24
1/21/12 at 8:27pm
Good thoughts on the tasting...the one thing that bugs us is when we set up an appointment and they no show, we schedule girls to be in the cake shoppe so I can focus on the consultation and not shoppe visitors. I am liking the $25 deposit idea and then apply it to the cake when ordered. Where I'm at I haven't heard of anyone charging for tastings locally.

How do you get them to pay the deposit? Like when they email and set up a consultation or when I meet them at a bridal show?
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