Customer Asking For A Reciept For Ingredients To See Cost
Business By GypsyQueen Updated 18 Oct 2010 , 10:07pm by CupQuequito
I am surprised you call her a friend... I just recently made a cake for my husband's niece's baby shower which was planned by the mom-to-be's sisters and mom...and they requested me to make the cake. I made 3 flavor cakes and 3 types of icing. They actually even offered to pay for it and never asked for the receipt...and I just told them just give me the amt. you wish to spend on the cake and the rest is on me. They were so happy with it and so were the guests.
The thought that you were making a 3-tier cake with a toy story theme, in such a short notice... I think $20 bucks is such a steal! I would want to have you as a friend! 
Even the grocery store bakery needs a few hours notice...which is probably why she ended up with the plain cupcakes.
Asking for the receipt does seem like an odd request but, perhaps she wanted to pay you more than $20?
I doubt it. If she wanted to pay more she would have said something like "Wow! Is that all? Are you sure? Here, let me give you $30."
Someone who wants to see a receipt wants to make sure they aren't being overcharged. Totally out of line for a "friend" who's getting a great cake in a short amount of time, and for a steal!
The way she said it I could tell she didnt want to pay more than $20 even if it cost me more. I ended up telling her she could get a store bought cake for less than $20 and she went with that. She actually ended up having buttercream cupcakes from a grocery store with no Toy Story theme.
And... I bet even the grocery store cupcakes cost her more than $20 depending on how many there were.
This is really a shame. I'm glad you didn't end up doing it. Because now, you can (sort of) put it behind you... Where as if you had done it, I can see how resentment would work its way in to eventually cause more problems.
And you know what??? The next time "a friend" asks you something like that, simply say, "well considering the extremely short notice, it's a good thing I already had most of the ingredients on hand, so there is not receipt. And since I don't give out my recipes, I can't really give you a cost breakdown for my on hand ingredients either. Just take my word for it. Cakes are not cheap... duh!... " OK, you can leave out the "duh!" It's just something that I really wish people would realize...
Good job on holding firm and not giving in...
~diem
Yes, you have a right to be offended! $20 seems too cheap even at cost.
Just out of curiosity, how is your friendship faring now? Does she still talk to you after all of this? If she was so shallow as to not think of your time and what effort goes into a cake of that magnitude, not to mention waiting until the absolute last minute to try and order a cake for her own child at such a late hour, then I would think that she would be blaming you for the party being a "bust" due to not having a themed cake.... If that IS the case, my suggestion would be that the next time you have a cake to make for an event, make sure you keep all of the receipts for ingredients(as well as price out what you already have on hand- ya know, 90 cents for a tsp of extract, etc.- and show it to her) THEN add in the hours of prep work, baking, cooling, torting, etc. and SHOW her THAT so that she gets a clear picture of what it was that she was asking of you, and what type of challenge that you ACCEPTED because you care about her as a friend. Then, maybe next time, she wont be as self absorbed as to EVER make a request like that to ANYONE, not to mention you...
Yep... I agree with Foxi 100%. I think this is a great idea for us all to keep something like this on hand...
~diem
The way she said it I could tell she didnt want to pay more than $20 even if it cost me more. I ended up telling her she could get a store bought cake for less than $20 and she went with that. She actually ended up having buttercream cupcakes from a grocery store with no Toy Story theme.
Yeah, that's what I figured. She could have had an amazing cake for practically nothing instead of crappy grocery store cupcakes. Oh well, her loss! 
I just spent 2 hours decorating a cake for a friend, two tiered, my labor alone would be a minimum of $20.00 not to mention the cost of the ingredients.....People just don't have a clue as to what it takes to put a cake together...good for you... you quoted her a price as a friend....a great price.... " FRIEND" ...take the cake... and say THANK YOU.
I got something similar too here in the UK. I had cupcakes using butter, free range eggs with handmade decorations and tri coloured marshmallow frosting, and dome one actually asked if I was seriously asking that type of money for the cupcakes. This is the same woman who was sporting a Starbucks drink, which cost just as much, if not more, and all that's in it are milk,too much sugar and artifial flavours. Doh, indeed.
I have got to brag that I may just have some of the best friends ever!! I was asked to make a birthday cake for my best friends boyfriend. No problem. Then her mom was coming and had just had a birthday, so i told her I would do one cake and make it for both if that was okay. Well, long story short---I made a two tiered cake--half for one birthday person, half for the other. Completely becasue I wanted to do it. Didn't ask for money--didn't want any money. I went to the party and brought the cake. The nextmorning, I opened my purse to get my keys and there was $100 in there! I called her and she just laughed and said "see you Monday"! I love my friends!
Well, next time make sure you include the cost of your equipment (pans, tips, mixer), classes, the cost to turn on your stove, delivery charge for a 2 hr delivery, clean up fee and PITA fee.
Glad you were willing to step back and say the NO word that so many have trouble saying. It is such a small word with so much power and is used so seldom, but gives such freedom.
You offered to do it for cost, then were offended when she wanted to see how much it was?
What's the problem wanting to see the receipt?
When a car dealer sells cars for cost plus $200 they show you their receipt before you give them the money.
If the fact she wanted to see the receipt, means you don't want to be friends with her any more; then you didn't have much of a friendship anyway.
Her: I'll want to see the receipt.
Me: (assuming my gramma pose of crossed arms, peering over the top of my glasses and managing to "look down" at her face while I tell her) I'm giving you a $300 cake and you want to see a receipt to justify paying twenty lousy bucks for a copyrighted themed cake that will take me hours to make, not to mention driving 2 hours to get it to you? Is that what you just asked me? (stand back, keeping arms crossed, enjoy the hemming and hawing and stammering).
Cross her off. The fact that she asked you the day before shows she has no clue and no respect for what you do. You're just an acquaintance that she can use for her own personal gain. I dont' even see a hint of "friendship" with this chic.
You offered to do it for cost, then were offended when she wanted to see how much it was?
What's the problem wanting to see the receipt?
When a car dealer sells cars for cost plus $200 they show you their receipt before you give them the money.
If the fact she wanted to see the receipt, means you don't want to be friends with her any more; then you didn't have much of a friendship anyway.
I understand what you're saying here.... but really, for twenty bucks, she (customer/friend) should've realized what a deal she was getting & should've done cartwheels while thanking you for the offer.
She wanted a 3-tier cake, the day before a party. The customer/friend should've known it was going to be a lot of work for her both in time & ingredients. But, maybe like you said... there wasn't much of a friendship there anyway.
When a car dealer sells cars for cost plus $200 they show you their receipt before you give them the money.
Hubby worked in accounting at a very large successful car dealership. the "receipt" they show you; their "cost" is not necessarily what the dealership is paying for that car. There are several pricing levels involved with dealership pricing.
I mean think about it. No dealership can pay their very expensive overhead when they sell a car for $200 profit (and I've seen commercials where they are making the same offer for "one penny over invoice!")
really ..... just think about it.
I got something similar too here in the UK. I had cupcakes using butter, free range eggs with handmade decorations and tri coloured marshmallow frosting, and dome one actually asked if I was seriously asking that type of money for the cupcakes. This is the same woman who was sporting a Starbucks drink, which cost just as much, if not more, and all that's in it are milk,too much sugar and artifial flavours. Doh, indeed.
That's such a good point...I feel a blog entry coming on...And I'll credit you for pointing that out.
You offered to do it for cost, then were offended when she wanted to see how much it was?
What's the problem wanting to see the receipt?
When a car dealer sells cars for cost plus $200 they show you their receipt before you give them the money.
If the fact she wanted to see the receipt, means you don't want to be friends with her any more; then you didn't have much of a friendship anyway.
There's a trust issue. Obvious her friend thinks that a 3 tiered cake's cost less than 20 dollars and didn't trust her friend to give her true cost amount. I would be offended. Even before I was into cakes, I knew enough that a 3 tiered cake was much more than 20 bucks.
Where do you get your supplies? I cannot get a 3 tiered cake to equal 20 dollars in cost.
When a car dealer sells cars for cost plus $200 they show you their receipt before you give them the money.
Hubby worked in accounting at a very large successful car dealership. the "receipt" they show you; their "cost" is not necessarily what the dealership is paying for that car. There are several pricing levels involved with dealership pricing.
I mean think about it. No dealership can pay their very expensive overhead when they sell a car for $200 profit (and I've seen commercials where they are making the same offer for "one penny over invoice!")
really ..... just think about it.
My point was about ruining a friendship because that friend wanted to know the true out-of-pocket cost of a cake.
My friend wants to see the receipt, I might get a little pissed, but I wouldn't toss that friend over a cliff.
I've been mad at friends and they at me many times in our 40 year friendships.
When a car dealer sells cars for cost plus $200 they show you their receipt before you give them the money.
Hubby worked in accounting at a very large successful car dealership. the "receipt" they show you; their "cost" is not necessarily what the dealership is paying for that car. There are several pricing levels involved with dealership pricing.
I mean think about it. No dealership can pay their very expensive overhead when they sell a car for $200 profit (and I've seen commercials where they are making the same offer for "one penny over invoice!")
really ..... just think about it.
My point was about ruining a friendship because that friend wanted to know the true out-of-pocket cost of a cake.
My friend wants to see the receipt, I might get a little pissed, but I wouldn't toss that friend over a cliff.
I've been mad at friends and they at me many times in our 40 year friendships.
Gotcha!! 
I think if I had a "friend" who asked for a receipt, though, I'd make sure she saw ALL of the receipts involved in making this cake. I use a phrase in my house all the time, "I'm VERY good at playing by the rules that OTHER people set!" So be VERY careful on what you ask for!
You wanna see a receipt? Darlin' I'll SHOW you the receipts for this cake. THEN we'll "settle up"! 
I have had some of the same type of things happen to me and my husband. We are in business for our selve (not cake decorating) and it seems like every time you do someone a favor it comes back to bite you. And that is what the "No good deed goes unpunished" means. Sorry that it happened but there are a lot of good friends out there.
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