... Why is that hardly anyone shows up on time to pick up their cake???
She's 1 hour late, last weekend I had someone show up 3hours late!!!

I mean if I had an appointment at the hair salon, I wouldn't show up 2 hours late and expect my hair to get done, or if I had a dr. appt.. I wouldn't be able to see them after 15min, let alone 1 hour!

BUT, when it comes to cakes, our time isn't that important..
Heaven forbid we leave and they not get their cake because we then ruin their kids birthday and will be scarred for life

...and I'm done!!

Anybody else need to get any off their chest?????
thanks!
Jodi

Haha! I might later. I have to deliver a cake to a restaurant this morning. The bride warned me that when she told their "award winning pastry chef" that she wasn't getting her cake from him, he emailed her telling her she was stupid to go with someone else, and that the cake would obviously be a disaster if he didn't make it. She warned me that he might try to give me an attitude when I delivered it, so I'm ready!

Oh I can't wait to hear this one costume.

After 1 or 2 times of this I changed my tactic. I give my clients a timeframe and tell them I will be leaving at such and such a time to set up wedding cakes and not sure when I will return. I've never had someone to show up late for picking up their cake!

Yes, like, "Do you want to pick up your cake at noon or at 6 PM because I plan my day/life around these pick up times."

Update,
She just showed up.. never said sorry for being late or anything....
There goes 3 hours of my life I will never get back,
Oh well, I did get my laundry done, and made 2 batches of snickerdoodles while I was waiting...
Jodi

yes, you should always give a time frame when they can pick up the cake. "I will be home and available for cake pick up from X-X on such and such a day" I don't ever feel the need to give a reason. What business is it of theirs what you have to do? I mean, when you call to set up an appt to go get your hair cut does your stylist say, well I can fit you in at either X or X because after that I have to take my kids to soccer, then go to the grocery store to pick up something for dinner, swing by the library, then hit the movie store .. No, it is I have X or X available, what will it be?

Glad your client picked up her cake. Even when I would give set times, some people think all you have to do is sit at home and nothing else to do. At least call me to let me know you're running late. So sad she offered no apology. No need to go into detail about my schedule with clients, but the point I want to get to them is that I won't be home waiting for them to get their cake. They get it loud and clear

I always give a time frame on when to pick up a cake (especially on a Saturday) but I don't think they really care, as long as they got their castle, or peace sign (or whatever it is at the moment)..
I think after Christmas break, there will be some new ordering/pick up methods put in place...
Jodi

I work at a Mental Health agency, and on weekdays, they have a choice of picking up their cake before 9AM or I can take their cake into work with me and they can pick it up there. Some of the snootier folks (the one's who are usually late..) really balk at the idea of being seen walking into the "local looney clinic" as we live in a small town and word might spread, lol. They are always early or right on time
One thing that helps is to contact people the day before to confirm the pick up time. Sometimes it's hard to remember exactly when you said you would pick something up when it was arranged a few weeks prior.

I always give a time frame as well but no one really sticks to it. I am still waiting for someone to pick their cake up and they are now 1 hour late.

People asssume that when you work out of your home that you are just sitting around and it doesn't matter when they show. I get late pick ups & consults all the time, to the point that I've given up and just plan on everyone being an hour late anymore. No one seems to respect my time... god forbid if I am late with a delivery though!

you guys need a "closed" sign!

My shop hours were 'whatever I wanted them to be'. Had a bride coming to get her one year anniversary tier. Told her I'd be there until 5. She showed up at 5:20 and I wasn't there. She called. Sorry, I'm at my daughter's babysitting my grandchildren and I can't leave ... which is why I HAD to leave right at 5. She didnt' get her cake. (I sold it to someone else and made her another one the next weekend, when she arrived right on time to get it!)

You CAN do the same thing at home. Put a note on the door that says, "Dear cake customer: Sorry you missed your pick up appointment. I waited for an add'l 30 minutes but had to leave for other obligations and will be back at 9:30 p.m. Give me a call if you want to pick it up between 9:30 and 10 tonight or if you want to pick it up tomorrow morning between 8:30 and 9."

They'll learn.

P.S. It is only fair, of course, to tell them in advance (and I prefer IN WRITING) that "your pick up window is between 9 and 10 a.m. I will be gone after 10, so please be aware if you aren't there by 10, you won't have a cake."

I had similar wording on my consultation confirmation email ..... "Please call ifyou're running late. At 15 minutes past the appt time, I consider you a no-show and I go home."

I like the idea of having them have to come to someplace other than your house to get the cake if they're too good to come in your timeframe. I'd suggest taking it to the local STD clinic and making them pick it up there, hahahaha!

My delivery went fine, the guy wasn't there until the very end. I went in and the coordinator I had spoken to to arrange a delivery time was there, and when I had set the cake up she said "Sandy will be cutting the cake". Turns out Sandy is someone I know from another venue, and she likes my cakes, so she was all excited to see me. She said "You're my favorite baker" really loud, and the guy was in the room at that point, so I know he heard her. As I was leaving I saw him ordering her around and telling her how to set the plates out for when she cuts the cake, so I hope he doesn't give her an attitude.

I looked the guy up, and it turns out that he does have a stellar background in terms of pastry, but the review of his restaurant said that the tiramisu was dry, and that the apples in his turnovers were out of a can, which he says that he prefers over fresh. Considering that apples are one of Virginia's major crops, that didn't sit well with the food reviewer. I told my husband that I had a comment ready for him if he gave me any trouble, which was that I was so happy to have someone to refer people to in case I was booked. That would have chapped him, heh heh heh!

The too annoys me to NO END, I constantly have people LATE. I would say at least 90% of people come late. I now give them a 2-3 hour window in the morning only and tell them that I will not be here after that time. I also give them in the contract that they sign that if they are more than 30 minutes late with NO call that they may have a late charge added on. Although this still hasn't eliminated the latenes....which I just don't get it. Although I am never late, lateness is one of my biggest PEEVES!!! Just get your a$$ up and going and be here for your friggin cake people. I agree I think they think that we have nothing better to do than bake and sit around and wait on them. I had a friend that I went to school with recently come over 2 hours late, and he said oh, I thought you would be busy in the kitchen all day didn't think it was a big deal, umm thanks for wasting half my day! ERRR...I don't know that there is any solution for this, other than what debby suggested..not be there, and that will teach them a lesson.

Just tell them that you need to leave to go somewhere at whatever time you want, and tell them that if they don't pick up the cake before then you'll assume they don't need it. I have to add to get payment in full before you make the cake if you plan on doing this. Just make sure that you actually do leave when you said that you needed to.

In the last 6 months, I can count on 1 hand on how many people called and told me they are going to be late... and actually I would still have a few fingers left over!!!

I know it drives my DH crazy (especially when its on the weekend), so I should take Debi's advice (might teach them a lesson that I'm serious)...
Thanks for all the comments/rants with me
Jodi

By working in-home, you come up against their subconscious "domestic servant" mentality which says that you are at home, awaiting their pleasure ..

I've had that problem too. I work out of a by-appt-only commercial kitchen, so when I'm done, I want to go home. It never fails that if I tell them to pick up between 9am and 11am, they will be there at 10:55, even though i had the cake ready since 9am. So...I've started giving them a 30 minute window. Still they show up toward the end of that time, but it beats waiting around 2 hrs.

I don't do very many pick ups anymore, as most of my sales are wedding cakes that I deliver and setup. When I do have pick ups I always setup a 30 minute pickup window and tell the customer up front that I may not be there after that 30 minute time frame. Still, it always seems that I have someone show up 30 mins early and one 30 mins late (which means they both show up at the same time!) If a customer is 15 mins late, I call them and remind them of their pick up time.

Speaking of rants, I had a bride yesterday give me the wrong venue to deliver a cake. I sat there for an hour before I happened to think that there was another "freight depot" on the next town over. Looked up the number on my iPhone and sure enough, I got "Yes the X wedding is here today - everyone is waiting on you!" I checked the contract and sure enough, I went to the venue listed on the contract. The sad part is that all the guests will never know that I didn't make the mistake!

I don't know what chaps my butt more....when they show up 3 or 4 hours late without calling or 3 or 4 hours early without calling. Oh, or the folks that just show up without calling to pick out a cake for the birthday.....in 2 months.

the public thinks of it more of a window of time like a cable-guy vs. an appt. like at a dr.s office. They also will assume you'll be there all day anyway during normal hours.

Debi's right...if you want them to understand their obligation to be on time you have to be up front. Even if you will be home all day say you can only allow pick ups during this certain time and any time after that your kids could be napping, etc. so you wont be able to answer the door. Also mention you have to be in and out all day if you do so if they miss you it's their fault. So sorry, if you emphasize that you have a life they'll get it...hopefully!

This also happens not just with you home bakers. I have an appointment only cake studio and people are always late. I give them 30 minutes past the time and then I leave. I am paid in full ahead of time, so no worries for me. It also happens when I deliver, I always call and confirm time the night before, but I can't tell you how often I get there and no one is there. Burns me up.

My shop is appointment only, but since I started my website I have folks just dropping in. And have you ever noticed that when you deliver a wedding cake with a balance due there never seems to be anyone around? Funny how that happens. I have a newer policy now that says ---- NO cake will be delivered without being paid in full 2 weeks prior to the event. They better take me serious.