I've been asked for pricing on cupcakes for the catering director of a restaurant in Manhattan. She said that they are not always affordable for her clients, so she wants to check if my pricing fits into her client's needs. That tells me that I have to be cheap! Which I'm ok with...to get my foot in the door...but I also don't want to be too cheap. Also, how do you work your pricing for delivery? Do you build it into the prices of the cupcakes or is it a separate line item? Do you charge extra for filling? How much? $.25? $.50?

Was thinking of 2 dozen minimum order, $65 delivery included. Too much? Too little? Help! (thanks in advance)

ok 35 views but no replies? any help/advice you can give is greatly appreciated........

I might ask her how much her clients think is too much and price yourself from there. Sorry, I've never sold them before, but I didn't want to be another who reads and doesn't give any suggestions. It's probably what I would do though.

I don't sell anything yet either. But I know that most people charge a little extra to fill the cupcake. The issue of building the delivery fee into the cupcake or itemizing it at the end is up to you. I know a lot of people charge .40 or more per mile. Good luck!

I have my cupcakes priced at $2/each with an extra $0.25 if they want them filled.

As for delivery, I give free delivery within a 20 mile distance and a $1/mile after that. I live in a rural area though, not Manhattan. You could charge a basic/higher delivery fee.

Where you're pricing at, $65, sounds good to me

here's a baker I stumbled across a few days ago. she is in Orange County, CA, so the pricing is probably going to be similar. Looks like she charges about $2 for basic cupcakes and up from there. Her site states the client must pick up, so no help on delivery charges. I would go with whatever the IRS mileage allowance is currently

http://onceuponacupcake.blogspot.com/

I live in an area where there are 5 small towns very close to one another. Some people would consider my area rural. I charge $1.25 per cupcake, $1.50 if they want filling. Pricing for me depends on several variables, i.e. how "fancy" the customer might want the tops to be decorated. For instance, this weekend I have an order for 50 cupcakes for a baby shower. Each cupcake will have chocolate buttercream icing, topped with toasted coconut ( to look like a bird's nest) topped with tiny easter eggs that look like baby birds with upturned beaks, looking for food. Two chocolate eyes have to be put on each "baby" plus a dab of icing that looks like a beak. Each cupcake will have a chocolate filling, about a tablespoon in each cupcake. I am charging $2.25 for each one of these cupcakes. My customer is willing to pay this amount for the order. Some people might think that's too expensive, but after adding up the cost ,I need to get that amount for these particular cupcakes. Most of the time all of the hours it takes to decorate certain items aren't added on, so I have to look at each situation to determine costs. Hope this helps you with your questions.

I'll we charge depending on the flavor and the design $65.00 sound too much for me for plain cupcakes no filling no decoration.

I'm sorry, is that $65 a dozen or $65 for 2 dozed including delivery?

$65 a doz isn't cheap but sounds about right, for 2 doz it's way too cheap!

Cheap in Manhattan would be $2.50-$3.00 each, if you went with IRS mileage it would be .58 cents per mile (doesn't include your time) that's too cheap.

center of Brooklyn to lower Manhattan is what 5-6 miles? doesn't seem that far, but with traffic! WHOA! could take you 45 minutes each way plus parking! whadda nightmare....

just some things to consider...

Good luck!

Place in Austin, Tx(www.polkadotscupcakefactory.com) charges $2.50 to $2.75 per cupcake. Real pretty and Yummy! Check them out!

I'm late jumping in on this but I'm a good hour outside of Toronto and I get $2.75 for filled cupcakes at the local shop. Decos cost extra. For where you're going $65 is cheap IMO. You could tell her what your regular price would be and then give her a price break. Just don't back yourself into a corner in case you get referrals and everyone wants a cheap deal from you--you'll end up hating the innocent little cupcakes!

I sell decorated and filled cupcakes for $4.50 per cupcake. It's the same amount of cake per cubic inch as the standard wedding slice and you have to decorate and transport and set up each cupcake as opposed to one big cake.

Something struck me wrong with your post though... the fact that you are okay with being cheap to get in. Becareful of that... it's easy to get stuck in that rut and hit resistance when you have to raise prices.

IRS mileage and delivery fees are two separate things. The IRS reimbursement is to offset your vehicle expense. It does NOT account for insurance, loan interest on the delivery van, payroll for the person delivering the order, parking meters, etc.

IRS is $0.58/mile. I charge $1.25/mile. Round-trip mile.

Two different things. Don't confuse them and think you are restricted to the IRS rate as a maximum delivery fee.

luvsfreebies72 and LadyPiper -- Thanks for the cupcake links! They were awesome!!