Hello! Ok, so I have a bride who wants a football helmet grooms cake. great. but she wants a tasting.. I'm thinking the cake will cost between $150 and $200. How do I charge for the tasting? I told her 3 flavors and fillings.. she doesn't want traditional flavors like chocolate or vanilla, but wants to try my 'gourmet' offerings.. smores, peanut butter n jelly, pink champagne cake, etc...

How do I charge for this? Usually I only do tastings for cakes $300+ and i do them for free. but for a cake that may only be $150 I've got to charge right?

also, keep in mind that she hasn't booked with me yet.. so if she pays for the tasting, likes it and wants to book, should I use the cost of the tasting towards her deposit?

Thanks everyone!!!!

Well you can either charge her for the tasting and then apply it to the balance if she books with you (that's what I do) or tell her you only give free tastings for cakes that are over a certain amount and that her cake will not cost that much.
If she wants to purchase a small cake(s) in the flavor(s) she wants to try she can do that.

I would charge extra for the gourmet flavors, btw

Well, of course she wants a tasting....it's free cake. Everybody wants free cake. But, let me ask you this, have you ever gone into a nice steak house and said, "I am thinking of ordering that nice $38 dollar filet. I like it medium rare. Why don't you go back, have the chef grill it up, I'll take a bite, and if I like it, I'll pay you for it, but if not, I am going to go to Ruth Chris."

Real businesses have policies that keep them profitable or they go out of business. A three flavor tasting a $150 cake is insane. She is taking advantage of you. The next time you have a couple of cakes on the books, take a little extra better, and bake it into a cupcake. That's her sample. Other samples need to be ordered as cakes. I make them order a 6 inch round, but discount it to $28 since there's not much decoration with a sample.

I agree with snarkybaker (great name, BTW!). Don't let them dictate to you what they taste unless you're prepared to get paid well.

My consultations get what's on the tray. If those flavors are moist and delicious, then chances are all my cake flavors are great.

I agree with everyone here. Tell her you do tastings for weddings only but you'd be more than happy to sell her a 6" cake for $xx.xx