So I JUST went to get the keys to the kitchen that I rent, and the Prez of the Chamber board was there. We were talking about how my business was going and what not.
Then she asks me if I have square cake pans. Thinking that she might be interested in having me do a cake for her I tell her that I do, in several sizes. Then she asks me if she can borrow them!
I literally took a huge step back and started to panic (inside). She proceeds to tell me that she use to be a pro cake decorator and caterer, and goes on how she even catered for Willy Nelson once.
I polity tell her that there is a store here and a few stores in the next big town over that carry square cake pans. She says that they are too expensive and she is making a wedding cake for her grand daughter who wants a square cake. I acted like my phone was ringing, said thank you for the keys and booked it out of there!
Have any of you ever had someone ask if they could borrow your baking supplies?
Actually, yes, all the time. Mostly from people I don't even know.
It amazes me.
I have a shop and I sell cake pans. I also rent out a set of cake pans (12-9-6, 3" deep).
When I mention this to them they always say, "yeah, but it's expensive."
Well, duh.
Don't do it!! You can't be sure they will properly care for them. And if they can't afford to go buy their own, they can't afford to replace yours when they run them through the dishwasher and ruin them!!
you did the right thing.. i am sure your were stunned.. people are gutsy.. we have to be also..
I would NEVER let anyone use my cake pans.
Well, a colleague once did. She does cakes about 1½ hours away and asked if she could use my 18" half round. We're good friends and I know she takes good care of her equipment, so I said yes. She returned it in pristine condition.
I never understand what people are thinking sometimes. My friends wouldn't even ask to use them, let alone a total stranger!
It isn't really rude to ask someone a favour. It also isn't rude to politely refuse. "Sorry, I don't do that", or "No, that won't be possible" are perfectly polite responses.
She doesn't know that it's 'not possible' because you need to use them, or you think she'll ruin them or not return them.
I can certainly understand not wanting to buy such an expensive specialty pan if someone was happy to lend me one.
I can think of exactly 2 people to whom I would loan my baking equip (have loaned to one). But, then, these are the 2 people I would hire to work in my shop.
My best friend and I work on cakes together most of the time, and she's the ONLY person that I would let borrow my stuff. I actually think most of my cake stuff has migrated to her house anyway. I know she takes very good care of everything so I have no worries about it being damaged.
I can understand loaning it someone you know... but I literally JUST met the woman and with in 5 min of our conversation she was asking to use my equipment. It had just made me really uncomfortable being put on the spot like that. Especially since she is the one who has the ultimate decision on letting me rent the kitchen. I was really tempted to tell her to call Wal-Mart and see if she could just borrow their pans.
ask her what day and then say it would be impossible because you need them for something... or better yet tell her your very sorry you don't like lending out your tools as they are very expensive etc etc and then refer to her a store or tell her about those 50% off coupons.
Wow....some people really have a lot of guts!!
A neighbor once asked to borrow cake pans from us (I was out) DH was home, and he happily said, "SURE! She has lots! Which ones do you want?" and proceeded to lend out my Fat Daddios to the neighbor so he could bake a birthday cake for his son...and I'm sure slap some Pillsbury canned junk on it...UGH!!! I was SOOOO mad...took a little explaining to DH, (and a reminder of how much I paid for them!!!) but he finally 'gets it' and will no longer lend out my pans...
So I JUST went to get the keys to the kitchen that I rent, and the Prez of the Chamber board was there. We were talking about how my business was going and what not. Then she asks me if I have square cake pans. Thinking that she might be interested in having me do a cake for her I tell her that I do, in several sizes. Then she asks me if she can borrow them! I literally took a huge step back and started to panic (inside). She proceeds to tell me that she use to be a pro cake decorator and caterer, and goes on how she even catered for Willy Nelson once. I polity tell her that there is a store here and a few stores in the next big town over that carry square cake pans. She says that they are too expensive and she is making a wedding cake for her grand daughter who wants a square cake. I acted like my phone was ringing, said thank you for the keys and booked it out of there!
Have any of you ever had someone ask if they could borrow your baking supplies?
People ask me for stuff all the time.. would they ask a doctor to borrow his ex-ray machine? Guess what ....same answer. It is expensive professional grade equipment that I use to do my job. No can do...now go away. ( At leat in my imagination I say that last part. )
Someone asked me for a borrow once. They were met with stunned silence. They got the message.
I don't think that I've ever had anyone ask to borrow anything...Maybe I'm a meany and they can tell what the answer would be without asking
A coworker asked if she could borrow my KA once. Not a chance - especially since she doesn't like me.
She proceeds to tell me that she use to be a pro cake decorator and caterer, and goes on how she even catered for Willy Nelson once.
So what happened to all her stuff...
I have had friends/family ask before. Ummm.. no! No one will take care of your stuff like you do.
whats really crazy is she had the nerve to ask to borrow your wedding cake pans to make a wedding cake. instead of asking you to make the cake. you dont do that!! glad your phone was ringing.
Not many people I know would ask, but I'd loan them out, but that's me. I've put together and loaned out small cake decorating kits before (to my kids teacher) even threw in some fondant, disposable icing bags. I've loaned out a sets of cutters to friends and pans too. I think the only thing I would decline is my beloved Agbay, but I'd let them bring the cake over so they could use it. I've never had a problem, stuff always comes back in perfect condition. Why fill up the landfills when we can share.
I have to admit that I learned the hard way about this very thing. My neighbor came running over and asked to borrow one of my bundt pans. She had a new boyfriend and wanted to bake him a cake. Against my better judgment, I loaned her the pan, asking her to bring it back later that day when she was finished baking. A couple of weeks went by with no pan.
Finally, I knocked on the door. She said she would have to bring it over later. When it finally arrived, the white inside was scorched a weird grey/black color. It was not something that would wash out.
She did not even apologize. She just handed me the pan, said Thanks, and walked back across the street. This was not a teenager that hadn't been taught manners. It was a women in her 60's.
I can't believe she didn't have to call the fire department.
On the other side of the coin, a friend borrowed a couple of pans and returned them quickly and in great shape.
-Debbie B.
yes I have been asked and think its rude.I was kind of taken back.I let a good friend borrow the pan she asked for..whataya know, I ended up over there at11pm at night and she desperately wanted help! I ended up doing the cake.
i havn't asked to borrow anything for my cakes before but I have had people offer to lend me stuff....i know!
My friend firstly for no reason as a present for me bought me a set of flower cutters cose she knew i wanted them but didn't have them. And then her mum lends me all of her cake decorating books and cutters she owns cose she hasn't used them for a while so thought they would be of use to me....and she said i could keep them for as long as I want
talk about nice! But she knows she can trust me and i am making sure i take good care of them
Next time just say , "Yeah, if you let me borrow your car. Gas is just to expensive and I figured your car is closer to the building." What an idiot!
I agree with everyone else....heck, I dont even let anyone borrow my Walmart pans!!!!
She did not even apologize. She just handed me the pan, said Thanks, and walked back across the street. This was not a teenager that hadn't been taught manners. It was a women in her 60's.
...and you made her buy you a new one, right? (Please say yes!)
] ....She had a new boyfriend ....... This was not a teenager that hadn't been taught manners. It was a women in her 60's.....
heheheh - sorry but i giggled about that, i was hoping there would come a time in my life that i wouldnt have to make a girly effort for a guy. i once borrowed a friends paperback book and bent the back cover a bit and felt so bad i bought her a new book to replace it - i would want to die of shame if i did something like she did to a friends pan
i baked a giant wilton cupcake for my office the other week and was emailed by someone asking me to bake 2 for her daughters birthday - although i said i would think about it i also offered her the pan to make it herself. i hate being a borrower but do tend to be a lender - but these are my friends, not strangers i just met
Not only do I have people who call (complete strangers!) and want to Borrow my pans, but they will call and ask if I will sell them some buttercream, filling, fondant and had several call and ask if I would decorate a cake THEY baked!
Now I did have a celebrity from the Amazing Wedding Show on tv call me (I wont' say which one!) as she was passing through town and the airlines screwed up her cakes she had baked on her way to do a wedding and wanted to see if I could sell her some dummies. I gave them to her. But that was different, because I love her cakes.
But back to the original post, it amazes me what people will ask for!!!
Next time just say , "Yeah, if you let me borrow your car. Gas is just to expensive and I figured your car is closer to the building." What an idiot!
That just made me shoot coffee out of my nose!
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