I have a repeat customer who wants a cake for her daughter's 2nd bday. She wants a 3 tier cake that will serve 38.

The problem is, she wants a tasting. I don't want to give her one. I do free tastings for weddings, but for a birthday? I know she's a repeat client, but my profit margin is so low.....

How do I tell her no without making her mad? I need some creative, polite wording. I don't trust myself....I have a knack for irritating people.

Why does she need to taste it if she's had your cake before? If she insists you could always charge a fee... that might make her change her mind...

I agree, charge her for a tasting.
You could also explain in order to keep costs down you only do tastings for
cakes of 100 servings or more.

I'm just a hobby baker, so I'm sorry that I have no advice for you. However, in the hopes of not hi-jacking your thread, I do have a question if you don't mind...I also have to make a 3 teir cake that will serve about 35 people. Would you mind sharing what size pans you are planning on using for this cake?

Tell her to go to hell-kidding. We bake EVERYTHING from scratch-we do not have a counter or any cakes. So when we get a tasting we have to spend all day baking what they want to taste.
What we tell our clients is that we would be more than happy to do a tasting. We do charge for tasting but if a deposit is left at the time of the tasting then it is free. Also let her know your weekends are reserved for deliveries and final touches on your cakes-have your tasting during the week.
Good luck!
gabe

Do you leftover cake from your wedding tastings? If so, offer her some of the leftover flavors.

maybe just apologise, that it is not your normal practice to do a tasting for cakes like this.
you could offer to make up a mini cake/ cup cake, if you have some spare batter from other cakes you have on just now? or cake scraps if you are carving. could do cubes of cake, pots of icing, very simple.
or say you will make a small (6inch?) cake for her to taste, for the price of worthwhile dollars.
is it rude to ask why do you want a tasting after all this time of using me? thats what makes the idea of a tasting so hard to understand!
If you decide for a straight no 'I am afraid I am unable to meet your request of a sample session for this cake. currently i only do samples for weddings/ cakes serving so many.' and something nice about hoping to hear from her, work together again, along those lines?
xx

I agree with the other posts above......if she's already a client and has had your cakes in the past then she knows the quality of your cakes. If she's just "curious" about a flavor and wants to be sure she likes it first then she needs to pay you to make it.

I hate it when people think we're like Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Parlor where you can go in and try a spoonful of all 30 something flavors.

So to answer your question about what to say........I'm sorry but I only hold tastings for cakes that are 100 servings or more.