GE...I am in Ohio too. Please do not send this lovely lady my way as my cakes are delicious too. I can recommend her to a great place if she likes old dry stale cakes. It would be the bakery outlet stores where you get only the best of the old cakes noone else would buy or want. Keep your hard earned money and move on.
C'mon people. When you have cake at a party everyone is served at the same time. You don't really expect someone to collect 1/2 eaten cake slices.
I agree the woman was rude beyond belief. If she sampled your cake before purchasing, I wouldn't refund her one cent. If she did not sample your cake, then I'd refund the money minus the cost of the ingredients. You will always have to deal with witchy or unsatisfied customers. Handle the situation with dignity and move on.
I personally would not give her a dime back!!! That is the moist ridiculous "complaint" I have ever heard! There is nothing undignified about standing your ground in the face of foolishness. As far as your dad, people seem to think that just because you're in customer service that you are required to put up with whatever foolishness other people haev to dish out. NOT TRUE!! I for one applaud your dad. Don't back down, NO REFUND, NO REFUND, NO REFUND!!! SHe served that cake and is simply trying to get some thing for nothing. If she does "complain" to others and hey believe her you didn't want their busines either. If she likes dry cakes, I assure you she is in the minority of the world. Besides everyone at the party probably enjoyed the cake and will come with their orders. I am FIRED up about this one!!! 
What goes around comes around! 
I guess there are very odd people out there...who likes dry cake?
I've read the posts, and most what has been said I agree with, but....
If it was my business that was going to be harmed by some rude customer's word of mouth to others then I would have been quite gracious...while seething underneath...sat her down with a copy of the order and go over point by point of what she ordered. Then let her know that the moistness is because it is baked fresh and maybe we should have discussed this prior to ordering. Then nicely point out that over half the cake had been eaten, although it was too moist, it must have tasted good to your guests. Now, because you wrote a check to me, I will wait for it to clear the bank and promptly refund you 100%. I want a satisfied customer even if it means that I take it in the shorts on this one.
(I tend also to go with "gut instincts" most of the time and if it feels wrong, it's wrong.)
Guess I think too much outside the box?
LOL....sooo funny what your dad did!! I Love It!!! HA! 
I generally don't call people names...sorry if I came across as rude or catty or something in my first post to this topic... 
Let me rephrase: This type of complaint & her behaviour is really WEIRD!!! lol And I guess people who do weird things like this are behaving as a weirdo...lol. 
Anyway...I reread it a few minutes ago and thought it seemed a bit snappy...sorry 'bout that. But seriously....that much of the cake was eaten & she still felt compelled enough to bring in the leftovers & give a wacko complaint like that?? Maybe her husband found out the price & thought it was too high so she "got in trouble" or something?? 
I just can't for the life of me think of a good enough reason to make me do something like what she did...lol. Don't give her a refund at all and let her say whatever...like the others said...when she starts telling people your marbled cake had something swirled in it and it was too moist....lol...they'll know it was her problem and not your cake at issue. 
Sorry that you had to go through that ordeal.
I would not give her a refund since she ate about 3/4 of the cake.
Your father did the right thing to loud talk her.
OH MAN!!!!! My Aunt was in Ohio this weekend? She has a tendency to do this sort of thing, where she'll eat most of it then call and complain if carryout, or just go to someone and complain, not caring if anyone is with her, or will be embarrassed by her actions. Some people you can't please in ANY way.
I'll probably catch flack for this, but I'm not intending to start anything by saying it...
That said, I'm gonna say that if ANYONE here says refund her money, then that tells me that THEY are pushovers. It was pointed out that she'd most likely bad mouth no matter what. You can't stop people like that who look for something for nothing. They'll do whatever they can or want, to get what they want, for little or nothing. It's like a disease. (HONEST!)
Sure bad publicity is not a good thing, but then again, no publicity is really BAD publicity.
Keep her records on file and make a note NOT to take orders from her, and maybe even "Ban" her from the shop (without telling her).
You might also think about making a note to stick where customers can see and read it, stating that you ONLY make moist cakes as a rule. If they want something differnt, they are responsible for telling you that at the time of the order(s).
Lesson learned. Trust your instincts.
I guess you need the policy "we refuse service to anyone"
I think I would have said to her earlier in the order that Darth Vader seems too compllicated and walked away from it. There is NO pleasing some people!!
Wow, I am speechless! Don't worry, since her complaints were so ridiculuous, she sure made a fool out of herself in front of all the people at the store.
What a wacko!!!! 
I usually like to respond personally to each person, but there are so many responses that I'd be here all night
JennT: I don't think you were catty or snappy at all! I don't think you ever are in any of your posts.
I don't make it a habit of being rude to my customers. I've had a man throw his cappuccino at me because it didn't have as much foam as he asked for and I politely asked him to leave....I've had customers like him in different shapes and forms and each time I've kept my composure. That being said, we also don't put up with scams. That is what this lady was trying to pull. Because she brought some of the cake back we inspected it, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it whatsoever. I am not going to smile as the lady has some ridiculous complaint, give her a full refund and tell her to have a nice day. She is going to badmouth me whether I give her money back or not. I think by giving a refund I am admitting that there is something wrong with the cake.
Her bashing my cakes is not going to make or break me. She was referred to me by people who love my cakes. I sell my cakes to restaurants and they love that they are so moist.
When she called me she said the lady she usually gets cakes from(they tend to be dry) was unavailable. Maybe I should've read more into that and politely passed.
I don't mean to make this into a huge deal...I just needed to vent my frustrations and get some advice from people who know what I'm going through. I'm leaning more towards not giving her a refund with each second that passes 
I don't make it a habit of being rude to my customers. I've had a man throw his cappuccino at me because it didn't have as much foam as he asked for and I politely asked him to leave....I've had customers like him in different shapes and forms and each time I've kept my composure.
What type of business do you have? Is it a nice cafe? Bakery?
Or do you work at one?
Again, I think you guy it right. This sounds more like a scam. If there is nothing wrong with the cake, she doesn't deserve a refund back.
Please let us know what happens when you give her the news that she is not getting a refund!
Good for you.
MariaLovesCakes: I have a little coffee shop/deli/bakery. Its very small, but I like it.
By the way, where's Dale? I would have expected some advice about grabbing her by the hair or poking her in the eye Dale: if you're around I could use some of your unconventional wisdom!
I wouldnt make her another cake....especially if I had to make it dry. She fed about 20 people with this one. Do you really want 19 people thinking you bake dry cakes? Thats what will happen if you give her a discount on the next cake and she wants it dry. If it makes her mad, it makes her mad. How bad can it hurt you if she tells everyone she knows that you have real moist cakes, that looked the way she wanted to look. Her friends will think she is nuts.
Wasn't her normal person to order from out of town? I am thinking that this is the same cake it could be the other baker is tired of dealing with her LOL That is somebody looking for something for FREE! I am sorry but too moist that is really looking for something to be wrong there!
Sorry I forgot to add that she didn't bring the whole cake back. It was a 1/4 sheet and she brought back less than 1/2 of it. The way they cut the cake it fed about 20 people and she brought back 7 pieces.
If the cake was good enough to eat, and they ate that much of it, then no I wouldn't give her any money back. If you feel like you really want to give her something I would only give her money for what she returned. 
I'd be like okay you didn't eat this last 1/4th, here is a 1/4th of your money back.
But my first opinion is no refund! And if it was me, next time she wanted a cake I think I'd be booked solid that day.
You might want to ring up her previous supplier and ask, in a very open ended fashion, what they can tell you about Mrs So And So, how does she like her cakes, etc..
I'd also note that selecting the "It's too moist" reasons for wanting her money back is odd. Really odd. Even for someone just trying to scam you. If you're going to make stuff up to get a refund, you'd say it was the wrong flavour, it was bitter, it had a chemical taste, I asked for Strawberry Shortcake you gave me Darth Vader... something a little more logical. But too moist?
And wasn't this a last minute emergency request? You could just point out that you didn't have time to dry the cake out since she wanted it right away.
You gave her a perfectly fine product, made to her stated specs, and at the last minute too! If she failed to stipulate that she'd like it extra dry, that isn't your fault. "Sorry, ma'am, no money back, the cake is precisely as ordered." However, ask if she'll take a small stipend, say 7/20th or the equivalent of what she returned if you can use her in your ad:
"Mrs So and So went mad over how moist our cakes are!"
And, as you and others note, she'll be trash talking you regardless. Don't pay her to do it.
I think we all know somebody who just has to have something to complain about, and she's one of them.
Anybody who she might badmouth you to knows what she's like, and they're not likely to pay attention or take her seriously, anyway!
We have a neighbor who just has to complain about everything, and we listen, just like the other neighbors do, and just let it go in one ear and out the other. It doesn't make one bit of difference what he thinks, and there are times when I think he actually sends business to the ones he's trying to talk down. I figure if they can put up with him and do a decent job, they certainly must have good customer service, LOL!
Can you imagine what her friends must think when she opens her mouth to complain? I'm sure they've heard it all before! I really don't think you have anything to worry about.
Laura.
p.s. I love what Rainbowz wrote:
And wasn't this a last minute emergency request? You could just point out that you didn't have time to dry the cake out since she wanted it right away.
That is the moist ridiculous "complaint" I have ever heard!
LOL Lenette, was that on purpose? If it was a "typo", it's even funnier. Cute.
Good for you ge978 for sticking to your guns.
Seriously though, what if the cake was dry to her liking? Would her guests have been pleased?
When you eat in a new restaurant and you don't like the particular dish you chose-you don't throw it back at the waiter and demand your money back
I agree with dodibug. Don't refund her money.
Regardless of whether she liked the cake or not......She still needs to pay for the services provided by you.
For example, you pay your doctor but he gives you an incorrect diagnosis. You can't get your money back because he was wrong! You still have to pay for his time!
*insert emoticon with rolling eyes*
The only question I have is how do you get your cakes so moist? Do share your secret! LOL
I just hope she doesn't stop payment on the check.
What did your dad tell her was going to happen? Is she expecting money back, is she coming back to seek resolution, or did your dad close that door?
Many years ago, I bought a cake from a high-end bakery and it was dry. I took the unserved portion back and they argued that it wasn't dry, but in the end they credited me back the money for a future order. I went back many, many times and never had another complaint.
Some people, by nature, just can't be pleased though. Cut her loose and keep her money. Her complaint was ridiculous.
There once was a baker with a gun,
Who thought shooting customers was fun,
she shot them away,
Day after day,
Until she got the right one.
Said the horrid old bag, "Look here honey
My cake is too wet and looks sorta funny",
Dad got the lead
and took a whack at her head
and refused to refund her the money.
There was an old customer named Mabe
The dry cakes she did crave.
She said "I admit
I'm a bit of a s@%t
But think of the money I save".
She ran to repent
but dozed in her pew;
When the preacher yelled "Sin!"
She said,"Count me in!
As soon as the service is through!"
If you speak to her again...act like you cant hear. When she starts yelling...act all hurt and embarrassed. Rub an onion in your eye. Say "Why are you being so mean?" then run from the room. People will be really mad at her for making a girl cry.
Cakepro: You do not want moist cakes!!People will complain!! You will lose customers I'm not sure where everything stands right now...I haven't actually talked to her yet. My dad told her that if it were his decision she wouldn't get her money back. He told her that he would talk to me and see what I would decide. I would have been more than happy to credit her for a future order or make her a new cake, but she is going to be unreasonable no matter what.
I hope it doesn't sound like I don't care about keeping customers happy..I usually will bend over backwards to make sure a customer is satisfied.
I just have a feeling if I give in and give her a full refund, its not going to make a difference. I guess I still have to think about it before I make a decision.
edited to add_ Dale ROFLMAO!! I have to print this out and hang it in my shop!! You are the funniest person I have "met" in a long time. I knew you would have something crazy for me! Thank you - I needed that.
Honestly, the sheer NERVE of some people! As for whether or not she deserves her money back...we all know the answer to that one, NO!
But, personally I would give her the full refund and be the better person about it...your actions with customers in times of difficulty carry alot of weight with how you are perceived by the public.
It's always better to lose the battle, yet win the war in the long run...cut your losses with this customer and you will save your reputation with others!
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