Hi, I was wondering to all those that charge a convenience or rush fee for last minute orders. Do you inform the customer that because its a last minute order there is an additional fee of $$ or do you simply include it in the price quote? Im not sure how to go about implementing this charge but feel I need to and want to do it the most professional way. Thanks

When I have someone who requests a last minute cake, I quote them the price and tell them "There is also a fee of $XX for a rush delivery. This covers any ingredients/supplies that I don't have the time to get from my regular suppliers."

I make it specific so they can't claim they didn't know I charge the extra fee. I also require payment in full up front on rush orders. I've never had anyone object to the added charge.

I booked a "last minute" bride's cake yesterday. The quote that I gave her was more for the four week notice than I would have asked if it had been four months ago. I did not tell her it was an extra amount for short notice.

Yes, definitely tell the customer about the rush fee. You don't want the customer thinking the price with the rush fee is your regular price, and it's good business practice to avoid including hidden fees.

Thank you all. Thats exactly what I needed to know. I don't want customers to think that my normal prices are $$ but wasnt sure how to word the rush order fee. Also, Im hoping that this will do exactly as you stated jgifford and "train" my customers. Too many of them have started calling me on Friday for Saturday! You guys rock! Thanks again

Not sure what everyone else's definition of rush is, but I just don't want to do anything rushed, and extra money doesn't make me feel any better about it. If I can do it, I'll do it. But I'm not tacking on a rush fee.

In all honesty, I feel very much like AZ Couture... I don't like to be rushed, I like my schedule orderly and planned. I very much hold to "lack of planning on your part, doesn't constitute and emergency on my part", but I have done rush orders. Luckily though, the few rush orders I've done, the people have volunteered to pay me DOUBLE the cost and I still let them know that this was not my normal mode of operation, nor my normal pricing structure.

I realize that everyone's since of timing is not my own, I don't know that I want to train my customers to my way of thinking or even my schedule. I would appreciate them knowing that I pay special attention to the work that I do for everybody, and rushing takes away from the special attention factor.

Now on a slightly related note - cakes for funerals, more specifically Repasts. Maybe they are more common in the south where I am, but I don't necessarily consider these rush orders. They do, on occasion, line up with another event I might have and I don't charge extra for them. Of course they aren't as elaborate, but still take time on my schedule.