So I was at a fall craft fair/boutique this weekend. I was giving away cake samples (9 total flavors) and things were great. Rave reviews, people were asking for brochures/cards and others were coming because friends had come by earlier and told them they had to come get a sample, I had one lady tell me that she also does cakes but would like to know if I was ok if she gave my info to people she had to turn down when she was too busy ect....however; there was another caker who also exhibited but in a different building. I do not personally know her. I had at least a handful of people tell me (unsolicited) that they had tried the cake with the other caker and that mine was hands down better. While I was flattered, this made me very uncomfortable. It was at this point that I realized cake is like wine. Some people like sweeter wine, some dry, some red, some white, some full bodied...you get the idea.

Where I am going with this is that cake preferences are very personal. Some like a moist cake, some like a more airy, some dense, some sweet, some not-so-sweet. Which means that I am 100% positive that someone told the other caker that they preferred hers over mine. So when they would tell me this, I simply responded "thank you" to these people and said something along the lines that "cake is a personal preference and I tend to make a moist denser cake which is not for everyone, but I am so glad you enjoyed it." When people would ask me about the other cake (thinking we may be part of the same business) I would respond nicely "No she is from "x" city and I am from "y" city, but I hear she is also very talented and makes good cakes."

I also had a woman tell me that she loved the taste of my cake and that she was very impressed with my cakes as she had been following me on facebook. I responded very nicely "hmmm, I don't have a facebook page for my cakes, you must have me confused with one of the other talented cakers in our community."

Has anyone else experienced anything similar to these. How do you handle these situations?

Good points! I've been at a few wedding cake competitions and somebody else always wins "best tasting" yet I will have people coming over to my table saying "You totally should have won, I did not like that person's cake nearly as well as yours."

Which means tasting is subjective, a lot of times!!!! My husband likes gooey moist sticky cake, almost to where some would consider it "not done". I like it in the middle...moist but still fluffy. Some people like pound cake and I do not...some people like sponge cakes and I really don't like those either. I don't like simple syrup on sponge cake. Etc..... We can be happy our customers love our work!!!!

I just usually say "Aw thank you!" and that's about it.

Your responses to these folks were classy and professional! You're going to do very well!

So true - I'm never insulted if someone doesn't love my cakes...I know they taste good and have many people who will only purchase a cake from me - but I am sure that there are just as many who love someone else's cake. Much like I happen to loathe mushrooms while my hubby can't imagine pizza/pasta/salads/etc without them.

I think you handled their comments with class and professionalism but it is likely that their comments were motivated by an ability to discern quality despite their preferences.

Just just like wine quality matters. Tastes may vary, just a people prefer different varietals, people will prefer different textures. However within each varietal quality matters.

Case in point, I prefer reds over whites. However when I was eating at Le Cirque while in Vegas this summer, the sommelier selected a Pinot Grigio to go with my entree. There was no doubt that this was an excellent wine--hands down better than many of the reds I had at other restaurants during the visit. I prefer reds but my preference did not prevent me from appreciating the excellence of the white.

That people may have different tastes/preferences does not mean that they cannot tell quality when they taste it--even if it is not their favorite. Just as people do with wine.

I thought you handled all the different comments wonderfully! And your right that it's all a personal preference. I like a nice dense cake, not fluffy at all.