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Pricing by serving & multiple tiers

post #1 of 21
2/16/12 at 8:18am
Thread Starter 
I just recently got roped into making a 4th tier (6-8-10-12) because it was fewer servings than a 3 tier.(6-10-14). This was using Earlene's chart and the goal was to get as close to 100 as possible. So, the 4 tier per her chart is 98 servings. While I'm happy to not have to deal with a 14", there's still 4 cakes to make versus 3.

Apart from adding in materials as a surcharge (board, box, supports), do you guys add anything to account for multiple tiers? Should that 4th tier be factored in, even though it's fewer servings than the 3 tier?
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post #2 of 21
2/16/12 at 9:02am
According to this chart:
http://shinymetalobjects.net/cake/calculator/cakulator.cgi?pan=Round%2C+6%22&pan=Round%2C+10%22&pan=Round%2C+14%22&option=2&option=Select+Cakulator&chart=wiltonWedding2Inch&chart=Select+Chart&.defaults=Reset&.cgifields=pan

Your 4 tier will have more servings not less.

But even if it does have less you should factor in all your costs and time because even though it's smaller you are still making an additional cake which equals batter, supports, boards and time plus decor. It's going to be a taller cake and stacking issues need to factor in as well. So whatever you are charging, say it's $4 a serving, you should up it to at least $5 per serving. IMO
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post #3 of 21
2/16/12 at 9:32am
Yeah the 4-tier cake will serve roughly 130 people based on 1"x2" serving size. The 3-tier will serve roughly 128 people.

If you are looking for 100 # of servings try this... 6", 9" 12" rounds.
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post #4 of 21
2/16/12 at 9:34am
Not having to deal with a 14" round probably compensates for the additional tier so I wouldn't increase the per serving price, but Earlene's chart has generous serving sizes so make sure to charge appropriately, $5/serving would be a good starting point.
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post #5 of 21
2/16/12 at 10:21am
By the Wilton chart, a 6-10-14 serves 130 and a 6-8-10-12 serves 134.... everyone has a different idea of what they like to go by but for future reference, you are leaving money on the table by going with Earlene's chart.

I agree with the PP about the 6-9-12, that's right at 100 servings and a very proportional look.

Now to answer your actual question, for me I don't charge per tier. It's per serving based on design and that's it. 100 serving 6 tier and 100 serving 2 tier are the same price.
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post #6 of 21
2/16/12 at 11:10am
Thread Starter 
Hmm. I have always used Earlene's. So I should really switch to the Wilton chart? I've seen IndyDebi's pic of her Wilton portions, but have still stuck with Earlene's. Well, too late now because this girl has a contract for a 4 tier, but I have another tasting this weekend. Guess I will use the Wilton "Cakulator". Does anyone use Earlene's?
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post #7 of 21
2/16/12 at 1:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kger

Hmm. I have always used Earlene's. So I should really switch to the Wilton chart? I've seen IndyDebi's pic of her Wilton portions, but have still stuck with Earlene's. Well, too late now because this girl has a contract for a 4 tier, but I have another tasting this weekend. Guess I will use the Wilton "Cakulator". Does anyone use Earlene's?



You're giving away free cake servings when you use Earlene's chart. Wilton's chart is the industry standard of 8 cu. in. servings=1"x2"x4" for layer cakes or 2"x2"x2" for sheet cakes, which is also how the venue will slice.

Wilton doesn't have a "Cakulator"... that's Metria's.
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post #8 of 21
2/16/12 at 1:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CWR41

Quote:
Originally Posted by kger

Hmm. I have always used Earlene's. So I should really switch to the Wilton chart? I've seen IndyDebi's pic of her Wilton portions, but have still stuck with Earlene's. Well, too late now because this girl has a contract for a 4 tier, but I have another tasting this weekend. Guess I will use the Wilton "Cakulator". Does anyone use Earlene's?



You're giving away free cake servings when you use Earlene's chart. Wilton's chart is the industry standard of 8 cu. in. servings=1"x2"x4" for layer cakes or 2"x2"x2" for sheet cakes, which is also how the venue will slice.

Wilton doesn't have a "Cakulator"... that's Metria's.



I think she was referring to the link that was provided in a previous comment. If you click on it it takes you to a "cake + calculator = cakulator" site. You can choose Wilton servings (party or wedding), cake pan sizes and it will calculate your servings for you. So helpful icon_smile.gif
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post #9 of 21
2/16/12 at 1:19pm
Thread Starter 
See, I knew I wasn't off my rocker:
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-54654.html

I read these things ages ago, and that's when I made my Earlene's decision.

In any event, I still need to figure out if I will be adding a charge per tier, because regardless of whose chart I use, I could get 130 out of a 3 tier or a 4 tier.
Kelly G.
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post #10 of 21
2/16/12 at 1:22pm
There's absolutely nothing wrong with using Earlene's chart. You are only giving away free cake if you set the per-serving price the same as Wilton's chart...since Earlene's servings are bigger you should charge more, and of course let the customer and venue know this.
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post #11 of 21
2/16/12 at 2:10pm
To put what Jason is saying in to number terms.

Earlene's Chart says a 8in serves 15, right? Wilton says it serves 24.

If you charge $3 per serving, then you are charging $45.
If I charge $3 per serving using Wilton's chart it is $72.

So we are making the same cake, with the same price per serving, and I am making $27 more on it.
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post #12 of 21
2/16/12 at 2:32pm
I am always afraid of the price per serving issue so the last few cakes I made were for people I knew well and I asked them how many servings they had left over. These were non-professional cake people and I wanted to know how "true" wilton was and actually so far it's been dead on.

However, all cakes serve based on how they are cut. For wedding cakes, Wilton wedding is the standard and a good venue knows how to cut a cake but the average joe does not. So I started telling people an 8 inch cake serves between 20 and 24 people depending on how you cut the cake. I actually find the Wilton Party serving size to be the closest to how people(not pros) actually cut a cake. So I always list the Wilton party to Wilton wedding specs. You do have to price the cake accordingly if you're using a larger portion size than a competitor and "advertise" ie communicate that to your customers.
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post #13 of 21
2/16/12 at 4:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasSugar

To put what Jason is saying in to number terms.

Earlene's Chart says a 8in serves 15, right? Wilton says it serves 24.

If you charge $3 per serving, then you are charging $45.
If I charge $3 per serving using Wilton's chart it is $72.

So we are making the same cake, with the same price per serving, and I am making $27 more on it.



No, that's giving away free cake... selling for $45 when it was worth $72.
What Jason is saying, "since Earlene's servings are bigger you should charge more" [per serving]...
Wilton 24 x $3. = $72
Earlene 15 x $4.80 = $72
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post #14 of 21
2/16/12 at 5:33pm
Quote:
Quote:

From KoryAK: Now to answer your actual question, for me I don't charge per tier. It's per serving based on design and that's it. 100 serving 6 tier and 100 serving 2 tier are the same price.



For me, a 6-tier and 2-tier wouldn't be the same price. A 6-tier would need significantly more labor from me: centering all of those tiers, torting each to exactly 4" for SPS, more pans to wash, more cake boards to cut, etc. There'd definitely be an upcharge for 6 tiers vs 2!
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post #15 of 21
2/16/12 at 6:40pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ajwonka


For me, a 6-tier and 2-tier wouldn't be the same price. A 6-tier would need significantly more labor from me: centering all of those tiers, torting each to exactly 4" for SPS, more pans to wash, more cake boards to cut, etc. There'd definitely be an upcharge for 6 tiers vs 2!



Yes, this is my point. So I guess there's not an industry standard or consensus for this? Another tier is a minimum of 3 hours of my time to bake, cover, decorate, and stack.
Kelly G.
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