Last night, as I was crawling into bed around midnight (after baking/icing/etc) for a cake I have due this weekend - I checked my email one last time. I rcvd. an email from a person who was referred to me by 2 different people. She was in a panic because her normal baker never got back to her about a cake that she was ordering for a party on Saturday AM. I emailed her this am, told her that I was currently working on another order and said I needed a few more bits of info before I even could even begin to consider it, I asked for flavors, servings, theme, budget. I get an email back that made me scoff (and I hate scoffing! ) She asked for a cake for 30 - with possibly a figurine with a musical instrument, edible images, to look like a 3D object, basically "whatever is easiest". Her budget was a whopping $1.50/serving ($45).

I replied back and informed her of my prices and told her that I just could not complete a cake order for her within her budget. I recommended she contact a local grocery chain as they could pull something together quickly & within her budget. She replied back that she does not like grocery cakes (blech, who does!?) and could I do it for $60?

The reality is, I mapped my time out with the cake I have due tomorrow. To squeeze her order in will require me to BUST my BUTT until the wee hours of the AM. I don't particularly want that to happen - but would be willing to do it for a $. What sort of "rush fees" are you charging? If you do charge a rush fee, do you have wording that you like to use?

I would just say, "We require x number of days/weeks in advance for an order. To accommodate a request with such short notice, a fee of x will be applied to your order."

For what she's asking for, you couldn't give me $60 to get out of bed. I would just say no. And posts like this make me glad that I work with computers for a living, LOL.

I like that wording.

Not worth it to me!! $80 Seriously, that will take you hours with baking at it is and rushed time for you to get it done. I'd charge like $30 more than the cake for last minute requests..I personally wouldn't do it unless you are really hurting for money. It's too stressful and being up late night, with little sleep.

Best of luck

"Unfortunately I will not be able to accomodate your request."

She's lucky you even checked your email at that hour.

For rush jobs we charge 150%-200% depending on how busy we are, I probably would have quoted $250-300 for that order.

I ended up telling her that I just didn't have the time - even for the money I would have been pulling my hair out.... I like my hair.