Cake Request, I Thought It Was Funny
Decorating By aligotmatt Updated 31 Dec 2010 , 5:59am by jason_kraft
I got an email from a bride saying she was having 45 people at a reception and her budget is $180 and could I help her with an attached picture of a fondant cake and over 20 gumpaste flowers on it.
Normally I would write back, no, I can't help you, best wishes. But I was in a funny mood, so I wrote her back and told her it would be $316, base price of cake, plus sugar flowers, plus tax/delivery...
So she wrote back to ask if I would lower my base price per serving from $4.50 down to $3.50. really. really?
Most of the time when I get an email like this, people write back and say, sorry that's out of my range, or they just never write back. The latter was my expectation. I've never had someone write and ask me to lower my price like that. I think it's hilarious.
Is this our new crop?
I've had people ask if I had cheaper options- which i usually do, but never outright ask me to lower my price. I have had a customer ask if I would "sponser" her wedding cake- if I gave her a deeply discounted cake she would let me put brichures out- Tacky- JUST TACKY.
I had a call this week and I quoted $4 a serving buttercream and after that she says "Oh well the bride wants a good tasting cake for an inexpensive price." And I just laughed, "Oh does she?" Call 1-800-getalife.
I"Oh well the bride wants a good tasting cake for an inexpensive price."
And I want a butt like beyonce, but we can't all get what we want...
I"Oh well the bride wants a good tasting cake for an inexpensive price."
And I want a butt like beyonce, but we can't all get what we want...
<high five>
Then there was the chick who wanted a designer cake (with hand made baby's breath) for $1.50/$2 a serving and had the nerve to ask what BRAND of real vanilla did I use.
<eyes closed> <making sign of the cross>
I think she got spontaneous diarrhea when I quoted her over $700.
She could not get out from around that table fast enough.
Blood just drained right out of her face like she'd seen a ghost.
<high five>
Then there was the chick who wanted a designer cake (with hand made baby's breath) for $1.50/$2 a serving and had the nerve to ask what BRAND of real vanilla did I use.
<eyes closed> <making sign of the cross>
I think she got spontaneous diarrhea when I quoted her over $700.
She could not get out from around that table fast enough.
Blood just drained right out of her face like she'd seen a ghost.
Wish I could have been there to see that!!!
I had a call this week and I quoted $4 a serving buttercream and after that she says "Oh well the bride wants a good tasting cake for an inexpensive price." And I just laughed, "Oh does she?" Call 1-800-getalife.
Since when would you drop your price just to make a good tasting cake versus oh a bad tasting cake? When did the scale go from good tasting cake to 'super' good tasting down to 'not the best' tasting?
I had a call this week and I quoted $4 a serving buttercream and after that she says "Oh well the bride wants a good tasting cake for an inexpensive price." And I just laughed, "Oh does she?" Call 1-800-getalife.
Since when would you drop your price just to make a good tasting cake versus oh a bad tasting cake? When did the scale go from good tasting cake to 'super' good tasting down to 'not the best' tasting?
Here's what I would love to see -
One of you pros getting here and telling us you sent the pic of the twinkie wedding cake, and saying - This is what I can do for $3 a serve."
Here's a link to the pic, just in case someone has not seen it yet -
http://www.collegehumor.com/picture:73035
Theresa
The cake picture she sent me has a large fondant pearl border, so in lowering the price, she thought changing them to small pearls would make it cheaper.
I still haven't responded, because part of me wants to play the game and say, okay, how about I only do a pearl border on half of one tier of the cake and use silk flowers rather than gumpaste?
The cake picture she sent me has a large fondant pearl border, so in lowering the price, she thought changing them to small pearls would make it cheaper.
I still haven't responded, because part of me wants to play the game and say, okay, how about I only do a pearl border on half of one tier of the cake and use silk flowers rather than gumpaste?
Tell her you could just ice every other slice too or half way up each tier kinda of an eco and pocketbook friendly hombre effect. Hey people leave icing on the plate all the time. With a little effort she could really maximize this and be verdant--when folks rsvp they could choose, with or without icing. Call the wedding article writers!!!
My feeling on this is that with the economy such as it is. Cake is a luxury these days, not a necessity. Still it's nice to have a pretty cake that taste scrumptious. I don't see any harm in asking for a lower price. DH is currently on the phone trying to get our monthly Comcast bill lower. I'm mean when you think about it, the worst someone can do is tell you no.
So she wrote back to ask if I would lower my base price per serving from $4.50 down to $3.50.
In some cultures, negotiating with vendors is the norm rather than the exception, and vendors' listed prices are typically flexible.
I wouldn't take offense at attempts to negotiate, especially if you live in a culturally diverse area. We often get requests to lower our prices...I handle these by offering a more basic cake instead (i.e. removing a fruit filling or scaling back decorations), or if the cake is already bare-bones simply saying "no". The customer almost always ends up accepting the original quote.
Tell her you could just ice every other slice too or half way up each tier kinda of an eco and pocketbook friendly hombre effect. Hey people leave icing on the plate all the time. With a little effort she could really maximize this and be verdant--when folks rsvp they could choose, with or without icing. Call the wedding article writers!!![/quote]
So if your company came to you on a random basis and said, well we need you to take home $500 less this week for the same amount of work--that'd be ok with you? So are you feeling like negotiating or you gonna want what you're supposed to get?
The point is, after it's funny, it is insulting.
America is not the land of negotiated food prices at consumer level.
Cars maybe food no.
Bakeries do not barter as a nation wide form of tender.
Yes, I'm insulted if someone asks me for a designer cake for a twinkie price yes because I like me, I'm an expert. a professional. Yes I'm pissed at the audactiy, self-centeredness and ignorance directed at my 35+ years of expertise.
You want a smaller price? Find a smaller talent.
You want designer cake or what's behind door #3?
You think this is Let's Make A Deal? Hit the door.
"Well I want more than I can afford and I'm going to be a bride, queen for a day--please bow down--isn't this dial-a-cake-charity because I'M getting married?
phhffft
phhffft
phfffftttt
I wouldn't be remotely offended by her asking that. My quite simple reply would be, "Sure, now lets take your guest list from 45 to 25."
Because baby, THAT'S gonna save a ton of cash all around!!! Everyone else can just mail their gift to the post office box we'll rent just for this occasion. Please, nothing that isn't on the registry though. Returning all that junk is hard work.
And K8, seriously, as a professional you stick to your pricing? What UP with that? You're giving the rest of us 'bleeding hearts who are easily suckered by a sob story' a bad name, ya know?! If you keep this up, pretty soon people might stop trying to get freebies. Noooo!
I dont' know about everyone else, but between K8 and Melvira, I'm ready to split a gut here!!!
I dont' know about everyone else, but between K8 and Melvira, I'm ready to split a gut here!!!
It's the pure, concentrated sarcasm. It's effects are often mistaken for kidney stones.
I had a call this week and I quoted $4 a serving buttercream and after that she says "Oh well the bride wants a good tasting cake for an inexpensive price." And I just laughed, "Oh does she?" Call 1-800-getalife.
Since when would you drop your price just to make a good tasting cake versus oh a bad tasting cake? When did the scale go from good tasting cake to 'super' good tasting down to 'not the best' tasting?
Here's what I would love to see -
One of you pros getting here and telling us you sent the pic of the twinkie wedding cake, and saying - This is what I can do for $3 a serve."
Here's a link to the pic, just in case someone has not seen it yet -
http://www.collegehumor.com/picture:73035
Theresa
That's so funny! It reminds me of a bride that called to see if I could make her a decorated Krispie Kream donut cake! I was confused so she sent me a picture of a "cake" that was just a stack of donuts with an additional glaze over them to hold them together and some roses and baby's breath stuck here and there. Wish I still had the pic but I don't. I politely told her no based on the fact that I don't feel comfortable serving donuts made by someone else and puting my name on it because of the liability issue if someone did get sick off of them and I don't know how to make donuts, so I couldn't make them myself. SO glad I sidestepped that one! lol To each their own!
I dont' know about everyone else, but between K8 and Melvira, I'm ready to split a gut here!!!
It's the pure, concentrated sarcasm. It's effects are often mistaken for kidney stones.
ROFLMBO!!!!!!!!!! Everyone is hilarious on this thread! The nerve of some customers!!!
I call it the Flea Market generation. We quote prices all the time, then they "try" to start negotiating. Amazes me every day.
Speaking of Twinkie cake... I did a wedding, a four tier ganache covered square cake edged in malted milk balls, it was so decadent looking, then two tractor shaped groom's cakes. One of their friends thought it would be funny to come in after I delivered and set up, and put together a plate stacking system and cover it with wrapped ho-ho's or whatever. The bride was not thrilled, and thought I did it. I ran into her later and she told me she was like, "What was that all about? Why would she DO that??" I had to fervently explain that I didn't even KNOW about it. She ended up laughing it off, but I was pissed that no one told her they did it, so she thought I had. Can you imagine if she hadn't been an awesome laid-back bride??
The cake picture she sent me has a large fondant pearl border, so in lowering the price, she thought changing them to small pearls would make it cheaper.
I still haven't responded, because part of me wants to play the game and say, okay, how about I only do a pearl border on half of one tier of the cake and use silk flowers rather than gumpaste?
Tell her you could just ice every other slice too or half way up each tier kinda of an eco and pocketbook friendly hombre effect. Hey people leave icing on the plate all the time. With a little effort she could really maximize this and be verdant--when folks rsvp they could choose, with or without icing. Call the wedding article writers!!!
Hilarioussssssss!
They say laughing is good for the soul. Well, my soul is good now!!!!! I don't think I've laughed so hard in a long time. You guys are absolutely hilarious! I'm putting these come backs in the back of my brain in hopes I can recall them on a moments notice when I'm faced with this. Still laughing!
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