I was at my local grocery store today and I noticed a few weeks ago that they are now offering edible image cakes and have set up a whole little section for your to browse images,a computer and printer etc..When I inquired about buying an edible image of something I wanted printed off for my FIL's 80th birthday in March...she said NO!! I would have to buy a cake so I said fine....I'll buy a slab cake but I don't want you to put the image on it, I want to put it on my own cake...she said "Ah... we don't really do that" I mean I am willing to buy the slab cake at $21.99 and trust me the quality isn't very good but I mean for goodness sake!! Then she went on to tell me they wouldn't know how to store an image etc...I already know how to do that and to make matters worse.... As I walked away politely saying "That's fine" knowing full well I can find somewhere else to print me an edible image...I overheard her turn to an employee and make strange faces and mock me! I just about walked over to her and slapped her!! I probably know more about cake decorating than she does..in fact I'm sure I do but sure wouldn't do that in front of a customer... Sorry about the rant!! HEE!HEE!



Laurel

Wheeeew we Kiddie I had to reread your post I thought you did slap her, but yea people can be so rude. I think that grocery stores aren't doing as many cakes as they used to, just my observation from my local grocery store

Not here yet...the idea of an edible imaging station is a really, really good idea but to not sell just the images, why not? I wonder if that's a store/bakery policy or just her talking? And the way she treated you...really unacceptable. I'd call the management.

All the more reason for you to get that printer !

I agree...I think you should have spoken to her supervisor....about BOTH issues....her denying your purchase and, worse, her mocking you! I might have slapped her. (It's easy to write)

I'm sorry, I still have my mouth wide open.....did you say you slapped her??? And you got away with that???? Holy cow!!! I thought I was bad! I would have just turned around and walked up to her and said "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

She must have been having a way off day. She should have at least inquired about your request to her supervisor. Oh, I'm so glad I don't work any type of retail anymore.

Good for you though!


Amy

No no, she said she almost slapped her lol...

I had a problem with buying an edible image at my corner grocery too. The people working behind the counter were never trained to make the images & didn't even know what they cost! I told them they cost $5 a sheet.

They tried to figure out how to scan & print the pic I brought. I waited a few minutes... finally I got frustrated & went back there & scanned it myself!! I pushed them out of my way & started reading & pushing buttons! I couldn't get the size smaller but took the image anyway.

When I got up to the register I saw the manager, who knew me. I told him about it & showed him the image. He said there is NO charge! Goodie for me!! I went home & put a shell border around the image & it looked perfect!

Another question? Why don't bakeries train their employees better?

Only 1 of our 3 grocery stores (besides Wal-Mart) sells the edible images, only on cakes, though...but like the rest of their prices, they charge like $12.99 for them!!!???? That's extra...above what you pay for the cake itself with basic decorations, and if you want another border put around the image, that's an extra $3.50!! I have no idea how they sell cakes like they do, considering they're not very tasty, more like dry sponges with some liquified styrofoam on top for icing...lol. Man....if I only had a sugah-daddy to bankroll me...I'd have a shop open before you could say BUTTERCREAM!!!!!! (And I'd be RICH!)

see what happens when we are here all hours of the night???

we get excited and read over words

cakemommy~ I had to re-read it too because I thought she had slapped her!
Sort of like my experience the other day at our Wal Mart and their "air brush" system!
tc, you pose a good question, "why don't bakeries train their employees better?"

Well, I can see it being a store policy to not sell the images separately. They get the printers in order to sell more cakes. There may also be copyright issues involved which they do not want to get involved with by producing images people bring in.

So if you ask and a clerk says "Sorry, can't so that", don't simply assume the clerk is being stubborn and uncooperative, they may simply be going by store policy. Don't get mad at her for doing what she's been likely told to do by her bosses. If they say images go on the cakes (as they may have licensing to do) then that's what she is to do. Just because you want something doesn't naturally mean you can get it.

If they don't do it, they don't do it. Be pleasant, accept that you didn't get what you wanted, don't automatically blame HER for it, and look for some other shop that does allow printed edible images for sale.

..that was really rude of them. I would have had to say something to a manager! The grocery store in town doesn't do edible images..on or off of a cake. They pretty much just decorate the cakes with roses or big balloons of icing.

That's so rude, one time i went to a landscaping company to buy few trees (sorry getting away from the subject), the daughter's owner was there so we were trying to get a better price being that we buy from them all the time. When we told her so she said: WHY DO YOU KEEP COMING BACK IF OUR PRICES ARE NOT GOOD, GO TO THE OTHER PLACE" . Usually comments like that catch me by surprise ,but for this one i was READY, i went on and said:HONEY IF YOUR DADDY HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY FOR YOU TO TURN DOWN COSTUMERS,WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE SLAVING IN THIS FARM YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HIRE SOMEONE AND TAKE OFF TO PARIS" I know my answer was stupid but it felt sooo good to let her have it!!!!!
About big stores doing edible pictures, I think we gonna see more and more of that. But for me super markets are no competition, they can't do what i do and vis-versa, home bakers cater to people that want something diffrent that tastes fresh and home made. Go to copykat get your paper ,ink and a regular new printer, from what i 've heard it pays for itself in no time.

Rude people just ruin your whole day don't they! I can totally understand if it is there policy that they can't just sell the image but there is a right way and a wrong way to tell people. She chose the WRONG way!!I would have definately requested to manager - that is totally appalling! Customer service these days is not like it should be some places. I usually want to tell the employee if they hate there job so much to treat people rude then they need to find another one!! Sorry that happened to you! But call the manager!!!

Our stores, Wal-Mart and Publix have had them for years. Seriously we've ordered them cakes for work with the company logo on them for every promotion and retirement for the past I would say 4 years. They taste horrid but hey for $25 I think that's a given.

kiddiekakes,

Sorry that you had to go through that experience.

Unfortunately, she sounds like the type that just loves to make other people as miserable as herself.

You should have slapped her several times and pleaded temporary insanity due to not being able to get your image. lol

There are some grocery store employees that are just like that. Before I got my printer I used to buy them from a Kroger that is down the street. I had bought several images with various clipart on there. One day I went in with a cheerleading picture of my daughter's team. I asked to purchase an image of the team picture for her party. The manager told me she would not print it for me because she knew that I was running a business. I told her that this cake was not for sale and it was for my daughter's team. i even had a small photo in my wallet of my daughter in her uniform. She would not sell me the image....I also asked to purchase the cake with no icing and the image. She said no. I was so irritated...I drove down the road to another Kroger and they printed it for me with no questions asked. Some people are just rude!!!!

Kiddiekakes....you need to get your own printer...it is totally worth it!!!!

cuillere,

My mom tells me all the time that she hates going places with me because I have no problem speaking up for myself.

I'm like this, if you talk nice to me, then I'll talk nice to you...but if you don't, then we can open up a can of whip*** and go at it.

The girl behind the counter should have at least waited till you left the area to make fun of you. Seriously, she was probably just amazed that you were so passionate about an edible image. Rainbowz summed up the business aspect of the issue very well. Can't blame the grocery store for not wanting to share the machine. We've had the edible images at grocery stores here for a long time.

Rainbow and Bubbles,

You are right!! I didn't really expect them to sell it to me as I understand their point of view but I was more mad at the girl making faces and acting like I was some sort of a KOOK in front of everyone!!

I had mine and have them done regularly at Baskin Robins for under $8.

I'm sure the store management doesn't want you to leave feeling this way. You might make a phone call and speak to the bakery manager. Just politely explain what you asked for and that on top of not being allowed to have the image you were disrespected by an employee.
Hopefully you have another store to shop at. I wouldn't want to do business with this one again.