..what is with people wanting a cake tasting for a cake to serve 10-20 people?
1st off I don't offer them but that does'nt stop people from asking for one.
I've never gone to a restuarant with my family and asked to taste test the most popular items on their menu before I make my selection!
What gets me is when it's a repeat customer or someone who had my cake at a previous event, they've tasted it, they know it's good, they want to order one for themselves, so why do they need to sample it?
Are they fishing for free cake?
Oh oh and what really gets me is when they have a last minute order on a Wednesday for a cake on Saturday and they want to schedule a tasting for Thursday!
Man I love cakes but people really annoy me, I need to hire a Mary Alice so I don't have to mess with them.
Yeah, I get so annoyed about that. I tell them I only do tastings for wedding cake, or cakes that will feed over 150.
I love your complaints. Stupid people either piss me off or make me laugh, and you get some good dumb funny clients! Make them pay for a tasting and make it like $50 with two flavors. See what happens.
I have some of it figured out. I did a tasting for my nephew and his fiance last week, who have had my cakes for several years and know exactly what they taste like.....
When I asked my sister about why did they need to have a tasting? the reply was that it was part of the wedding planning that they didn't want to miss out on. Which, I have to admit, is a part of it now days. It is what is shown on TV and discussed in the articles, etc. So it is something that most brides don't want to miss out on.
Not that it makes any sense - it is just the explanation I got, which personally, I kinda do understand.
My limit is 4! 
Believe me it's not just the cake business that attracts these customers.
I've had brides call my Salon and tell me that they'd like to come in for a "trial" hairdo so we can know what we're doing on their wedding day......their next question is always "do you charge for a trial run hairdo?" 
Why wouldn't I charge for an updo that takes anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half? 
I still have to do all the work whether it's a trial or the real thing......ughhhhh muggles of all kinds believe me.
I agree that they are all watching these wedding shows and want to "play" the same game they see on T.V.
They can "play" but they've gotta pay.
WOuld that be wrong if I added that to my business cards? "If you wanna play, ya gotta pay!" Does that sound nice, professional, and to the point? 
I just bought a round 4" Fat Daddio cake pan to bake samples for tastings. I don't care how many they bring. They get to share the 4" cake.
I recently did three cake flavors in 6" pans (one layer) for a couple and realized I gave them about 18 pieces of cake for free. I don't mind free tastings but that' just too much cake to give away.
It's a TASTING, not the dessert course.
I just bought a round 4" Fat Daddio cake pan to bake samples for tastings. I don't care how many they bring. They get to share the 4" cake.
I recently did three cake flavors in 6" pans (one layer) for a couple and realized I gave them about 18 pieces of cake for free. I don't mind free tastings but that' just too much cake to give away.
It's a TASTING, not the dessert course.
Yeah, people like free cake. I mean, THEY didn't have to make it, right? What a bunch of bums!
I hate to say it, but I don't think the dumb people read the fine print...or large print for that matter. I have on my website $5.99 per INDIVIDUAL cookie (hand-decorated and VERY large) and I've gotten calls and emails asking, "Is that per dozen?" I have to try and remain calm as I go looking for the nearest wall to beat my head against!
Ugh. I *USED* to make six inch cakes of a few different flavors, and then I would cut from those and conduct the tasting. Well one couple liked the cake so much they ate ALL of my cake! And then didn't even book.
I've also had people bring in the full entourage. Had to nip that in the bud too.
Now, they are only allowed 3 maximum at the meeting, so one ONE extra guest if it's the couple, and the samples are TWO bites of each flavor.
It's not a free cake buffet.
I hate to say it, but I don't think the dumb people read the fine print...or large print for that matter. I have on my website $5.99 per INDIVIDUAL cookie (hand-decorated and VERY large) and I've gotten calls and emails asking, "Is that per dozen?" I have to try and remain calm as I go looking for the nearest wall to beat my head against!
Oh my gosh that last line made my laugh SOOO hard! LOL Too funny!!
I hate to say it, but I don't think the dumb people read the fine print...or large print for that matter. I have on my website $5.99 per INDIVIDUAL cookie (hand-decorated and VERY large) and I've gotten calls and emails asking, "Is that per dozen?" I have to try and remain calm as I go looking for the nearest wall to beat my head against!
Okay, why is everyone trying to make me pee my pants tonight? 
GEEZ! Your own Nephew?
lol!
I only do tastings for strangers. If a friend should ask, I plan to laugh it off, like I think they are kidding. Think that would help?
I hate to say it, but I don't think the dumb people read the fine print...or large print for that matter. I have on my website $5.99 per INDIVIDUAL cookie (hand-decorated and VERY large) and I've gotten calls and emails asking, "Is that per dozen?" I have to try and remain calm as I go looking for the nearest wall to beat my head against!
Okay, why is everyone trying to make me pee my pants tonight?
Because we all got together and hatched a secret evil plan >>>insert evil laugh here<<< ,code named "Operation Wee Wee".
And you've foiled it , I guess it's on to plan B.
Now who's got the death ray , and how exactly should we mount it on the moon?
I hate to say it, but I don't think the dumb people read the fine print...or large print for that matter. I have on my website $5.99 per INDIVIDUAL cookie (hand-decorated and VERY large) and I've gotten calls and emails asking, "Is that per dozen?" I have to try and remain calm as I go looking for the nearest wall to beat my head against!
Okay, why is everyone trying to make me pee my pants tonight?
Because we all got together and hatched a secret evil plan >>>insert evil laugh here<<< ,code named "Operation Wee Wee".
And you've foiled it , I guess it's on to plan B.
Now who's got the death ray , and how exactly should we mount it on the moon?
Oh my goodness, you guys are too much for me on here sometimes!
I thought I was the only one with deadbeat family members. I had a niece who wanted a Tasting for her wedding. I told it would be $40.00 for 2- 6" cakes. She has had my cakes free all of her life. She wanted the wedding cake for free, because I did her lame brother wedding cake for free. Earlier that year made her a birthday cake for 100 guests for "free" 
Needless to say she came late to the tasting with no money. I took whatever money her fiance had... $30.00. I made no wedding cake and that side of family can't order squate from me!
Rock on Fellow CCers!
Hammy
I did not mean to imply my nephew is a deadbeat wanting free cake. Quite the opposite here. They have never asked for free cakes from me and I offered to do this wedding cake for them, they never came to me and asked. (My policy is very clear with my family here!)
I just thought how funny it was that they wanted a tasting - when they KNOW how my cakes taste.
We understand Loucinda that you don't have dead beat family. I didn't realize for a while, my family were taking advantage of me and my husband. This has been so helpful for us to laugh and vent. I had to grow up and set up some ground rules for cakes for family and friends. Thank you, Thank you.
Best Wishes
Hammy
I started charging for tastings..............so if you want a tasting and plan to order a 6" round but want to make sure you LIKE the cake first........you're free to do that. You'll get 4 cupcakes in whatever flavors you choose (up to 4 flavors total of cake and filling) and it costs $20.00. Keep in mind that even if they choose 4 flavors of cake and NO filling, that's 16 cupcakes for $20.00...I charge $.75/cupcake normally.....so they're jipping themselves if they want to call it a "tasting". If their order totals over $100.00, then I apply the cost of the tasting to their final payment. I've found this is the best way to do it. So ANYONE ordering a wedding cake is spending more than 100.00 normally, so their tastings wind up being "free" in the end if they book and all the people that wanna "make sure" they'll like their little 4" round.....are out $20.00 for the tasting. Either way my time and expenses are covered!!! I have yet to have anyone balk at the idea of paying for the tastings since I started doing it this way. Everyone has always been very understanding of the reasoning behind the charge.
and you get some good dumb funny clients! Make them pay for a tasting and make it like $50 with two flavors. See what happens.
She does get funny clients, doesn't she? You have all the right to complain
And about charging for the tasting in this case, What a great idea!
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