Customer Upset About No. Servings And Cake Design
Decorating By mireillea Updated 21 Sep 2010 , 2:02pm by cai0311
I have that template saved as a download if anybody wants it. It looks just like a real piece of cake.
I wish I could remember who created it on here--she's a genius!
It doesn't matter if they liked the cake or not...contractually, they took full delivery of their order. They need to pay for the product as they took devlivery of that product. If they did not want to pay for the cake or it was not as they thought, they should not have taken delivery of the item. The balance due is owed.
And the cake is amazing!!!! I lived in Texas and did the rodeo circuits and you made a great cake to satisfy all ages!!!!
I love your cake, it is very cute and I thought for not only making it for the dad but the 2 year old too it was perfect. You added the elements of what she asked for and who comes to pick up a cake and "not" have the right amount of money, when I'm sure the daughter has the contract. Smells very fishy to me!
It has been my experience that it is a rare customer that understands the Wilton serving sizes. Most people (unless they order a lot of cakes) think of a serving as being more of a "wedge" of cake. Once you explain to them that the piece you are quoting for measures 1" x 2" x 4" they will understand that the slice is fairly small.
I always told them "this will serve 50 based on the industry standard serving size, which is about the size of a folded over peanut butter sandwich. If you think you will be cutting the pieces bigger than that, perhaps you should consider ordering a larger cake?"
The 'folded over peanut butter sandwich' is a visual most people can relate to. They can't for the life of them figure 1x2x4, and whenever someone says "one inch", most people think "paper thin", which is so incorrect.
Give them a visual they can relate to and ALWAYS ask them if they want to order a bigger cake. That way, if/when there's a problem, you can remind them, "I did ask if you wanted to order a larger cake and you said this was fine." 
I see in your first post that you also mentioned 15 cupcakes...if that much cake and 15 cupcakes aren't enough for 35 people they need some serious help! lol Your cake looks very rodeo to me and the horsey in the the tub would delight any 2 or 76 year old! I hope you get all of your money on this cake. You earned it!
Love the cake! I think the thing is people see an oversized piece of cake and think that bathtub would serve 1! I just was looking at a wilton book. There is a picture of a cake slice on a serving plate. That size cake is NOT what they recommend (1x2x4). People see pictures in print and assume that this is the size of a "real" serving. Cake Muggles!
The customer was happy with what you proposed to make, right?
The customer wanted a rodeo cake with the color red and cow design...
What a goon! What is a rodeo without cowboys, horses and cows??? you can't have a rodeo without cowboys, can ya???? oh oh oh...maybe she meant Rodeo Dr. .
I love that cake! I laughed hysterically (barked loudly actually 'cause it caught me offguard) when I seen it...verbalized, "Wiiiiiiiilllllllllllbuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrr"(like Mr. Ed).
Anyway, that person needs edumacatin' on cowboys and rodeos...
ETA: The "what a goon!" comment was directed toward the customer...sorry if anyone thought otherwise 
Okay, I'm going to be brutally honest here...
Your cake was awesome and that should be more than enough cake! All your cakes are awesome! It sounds like they just wanted a deal and planned to "not like it" before they even saw it, so they didn't have to pay full price. Some people are just nasty!
Dont know if anyone else has said this or not, BUT in the 70's and 80's there was a HUGE poster/greeting card/coffee cup etc craze in the US that was a few old cowpokes (kinda a slang term for a real workin cowboy). They were kinda cartoonish, and this FITS that!! the 76 year old would see that, and LOVE it!! Because he would have been around in that time. 
They were VERY popular, and everyone who had ever even SEEN a horse, much less rode one, had SOMETHING from that line of merchandise!!
And yes, as was said before- The Rodeo IS cowboys. That is where it started, differnt cowboys from differnt ranches would get together after round up and show off their skills of ropin,( you do that to brand cattle), cutting (to cut one cow out of the herd), broco riding (you gotta break a horse somehow), Even Barrel racing- dexterity on a horse is a MUST-- and then they got cocky and started ridin bulls. Mostly cause well heck- thats just men... LOL
Any of my clients/friends and ESPECIALLY my kids!! (Texas Town, and life centers around rodeo- ) would KILL for that cake!! You did an excelent job!!
I have that template saved as a download if anybody wants it. It looks just like a real piece of cake.
I wish I could remember who created it on here--she's a genius!
Do you mind either posting that template or pming me with it? That would be awesome!
I think you should contact the woman and ask her for the remainder of the money. Tell her that you lived up to your part of the agreement, and she shouldn't have sent her mother to pick it up without her being there to tell the mother to stuff it. There are always some people that don't agree how much our cakes should cost...it's just flour, sugar and eggs right?? As if!! Plus the 3 full days and sleepless nights you put into decorating that cake. I would tell her that she agreed on the price, there was more that enough cake, especially with the cupcakes, and that she needs to put her money where her mouth was and ignore her mothers opinion. She got what she asked for. Case closed. You are in the right here! Don't let her get away with it, or she will just keep doing it to others. If someone would have stood up to her before she came to you, this may not have happened. Trust your gut, it is almost always right! I can tell you that we in the RCMP (similar to FBI in Canada) actually rely on our gut in everything we do. It won't usually steer you wrong!
How could anyone not LOVE that cake?? I honestly don't understand why the horse would be in a bathtub, but it is absolutely adorable. I was so curious what you could have come up with to suit both birthday boys, but you nailed it! I'm not an expert on rodeos, but how could you look at that cake and not think RODEO?? It's darling, and your work is amazing!!
I work in a restaurant, and believe me- there are ALWAYS people who try to squeeze something for free. No matter how wonderful everything is, there are a certain few who will try to get something!
I see in your first post that you also mentioned 15 cupcakes...if that much cake and 15 cupcakes aren't enough for 35 people they need some serious help! lol Your cake looks very rodeo to me and the horsey in the the tub would delight any 2 or 76 year old! I hope you get all of your money on this cake. You earned it!
My thoughts exactly; a cake to feed 35 PLUS 15 cupcakes...there should have been MORE than enough to go around. Also, even if cake IS the only food available at a party/gathering, still not everyone eats a piece!
Your cake is wonderful!!! Cowboys & rodeos go hand in hand and I
think you did a great job! Maybe they tend to serve ''hunks'' of cake
instead of regular portions! Whatever, you should be paid for your work,
they got what they ordered (no more cake without full payment).
No refund, just FULL PAY! And make sure to cross them off your client list. 
I think there are a couple lessons here first: Did you have a contract? Does it specify that the decorator has discretion to design at their discretion?
When someone contacts me and says can you do a particular theme, My response is when I think of X theme I think of A, b, c, d elements, is that what you had in mind? That gives them the opportunity to add or remove elements that they associate with the concept.
I think your work is cleanly done but the horse in the bathtub is not my aesthetic taste personally so if that was intended for me we would not have been on the same page.
Regardless- if she agreed on a price she should have paid you. LEsson 2- Don't lose posession of the cake unless it is paid in full! At this point I think you may end up eating the remaining balance. Which the cake clearly fed enough people so that is not even a factor in why they didn't pay.
Hi guys,
Just to give you an update on my situation: after I received the initial email from the customer (the daughter) that she would contact me, without going into any specifics, I haven't heard from her.
I have sent several emails and tried to phone, but it is quiet on the other side. I have her address, but it is a 1,5 hours drive (one way), and frankly it is just not worth it. I received 2/3 of the cake price so I got my expenses covered. Just another lesson to never let a cake go without full payment. Thank you all for your help. It was much appreciated and really helpful. I am now sure that the cake was NOT too small, because that really kept me busy. I have peace with it now. Simply said: I have just been stupid!
I hope you get your money.... I agree that you should never have let the cake go without full payment. I am thinking that the horse in the tub is also to try and include the 2 year old ,correct? That cake would be fine IMO for a 76 and 2 year old party and would be more than enough servings, plus the cuppies. Honey I think you just got taken!
I think there are a couple lessons here first: Did you have a contract? Does it specify that the decorator has discretion to design at their discretion?
When someone contacts me and says can you do a particular theme, My response is when I think of X theme I think of A, b, c, d elements, is that what you had in mind? That gives them the opportunity to add or remove elements that they associate with the concept.
I think your work is cleanly done but the horse in the bathtub is not my aesthetic taste personally so if that was intended for me we would not have been on the same page.
Regardless- if she agreed on a price she should have paid you. LEsson 2- Don't lose posession of the cake unless it is paid in full! At this point I think you may end up eating the remaining balance. Which the cake clearly fed enough people so that is not even a factor in why they didn't pay.
I second everything you said.
I agree with most replies: Your cake (and all your others) is awesome. I totally get the horse in the tub. He's chillin' after a hard day's work at the rodeo! Definitely enough servings.
DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP. You will probably not see that money, and it won't be worth your time and frustration to pursue it. Consider that lost money (be it $30, $50, $100, whatever) tuition in the school of life/business, and then it will be well worth it because the NEXT TIME, when you are dealing with a pricier cake, you WON'T lose that money. Don't let those cakes go out the door without payment in full. No other industry would. Car needs repairs? Sorry, don't have enough money, think they'd let you take it? No.
Keep up the good work - you have alot of talent!
Hi!
I always use the Wilton serving chart for the wedding cakes I do. My tiers are some 3.5 - 4" high (8 cm to 10 cm). But I hardly do any birthday cakes...
Mireillea, you know I live where you do and you truly provided enough cake. I go by wedding servings for every single cake I sell, regardless of the occasion and not once have I had someone complain they didn't have enough. A 10in serves 40 (I have actually drawn the 1x2in grid on the bottom of each and every pan I own!), 8in 24, 6in 12 and 4in 6. You gave them 58 servings of cake and 15 cupcakes!!! I am more than happy for you to direct them to the serving charts on my website and show them you actually gave them more cake than they paid you for (and they can also see the bargain they got if they look to see how much I'd have charged them 
!). http://www.queeniescakes.com/
They owe you that money. Never, ever, ever give someone a cake without full payment. I have actually made people transfer the money to my bank account whilst I have stood over them to make sure they did it. I'm a hard-ass though - seems to me that you need to get tougher honey. You may also want to consider full payment in advance from now on too! Also, whenever I have been nice and gone over & above on a cake design (doing more than was paid for etc), it's come back to bite me in the ass. So now I just do what I've been paid for. No-one appreciates the extra hard work you did anyway!
and show them you actually gave them more cake than they paid you for (and they can also see the bargain they got if they look to see how much I'd have charged them
!). http://www.queeniescakes.com/
Haha, that is funny because after your last comment on one of my postings (was it a year ago???) saying that I didn't charge enough, I actually raised my prices with 0.50 per serving and wedding cakes with 1,- per serving
and show them you actually gave them more cake than they paid you for (and they can also see the bargain they got if they look to see how much I'd have charged them
!). http://www.queeniescakes.com/Haha, that is funny because after your last comment on one of my postings (was it a year ago???) saying that I didn't charge enough, I actually raised my prices with 0.50 per serving and wedding cakes with 1,- per serving
4 euros per serving for that cake would have been perfectly fine if that's what you had given them - but it wasn't!!! 58 x 4 = 232 euros, they got almost a 100 euro discount from that cake and they refused to pay you even the small amount you charged?! Sorry, but that makes me mad!!!
Every cake that goes out my door has a Wilton cutting guide sent with it. People have no idea how to cut a cake the way we expect the cake to be cut.
I made a 16" round for a friend's going away party. According to Wilton the cake would serve 100 people. The woman that cut the cake loves cake and icing and was cutting these massive cake slices - about 2" x 2 1/2" x 4". After she cut 2 slices I told her the slices were to big and she needed to make them about half that size.
There were only about 70 people at the party so there should of been tons of cake left, but in the end only 4 pieces remained. Now I know some had two peices (the cake was 2 different flavors) and some said they would take a slice home to a family member that couldn't come - but still, only 4 pieces left was mostly because of the size of the slices.
Also, the Wilton party guide (you mentioned the party serving guide in an earlier post) serves 1/2 as many people as the wedding guide but that is because the party cakes are only 2" tall and the wedding cakes are 4" tall. Since your cakes are 3.5" - 4" tall you should base servings off the wedding guide.
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