I just wanted everyone's honest opinion about delivery charges. Do you charge for delivery? If so, how much is a reasonable? What method do you use to calculate how much to charge a client.....Thanks

$50

No real reason. Most of my deliveries are within 5 miles of my kitchen.

Today was the first day I had to deliver a cake. I only had to go to downtown Houston, which is about 25 min from my house. And I thought..."Im wasting gas to deliver this, which means I'm losing profit."...lol.

@Leah...Do you every have any complaints about delivery charges or are people pretty undestanding?

For wedding cakes, I build delivery into the cost and advertise that delivery is free in my metro area. Most bakers in my area do this, so I felt like I had to follow suit to compete.

Delivery in town is free... anywhere else it's $2.00 per ONE WAY mile with a $25.00 minimum. With gas prices being what they are though it is going up... I haven't decided to what though. On average delivery fees run $50-100.00, though some have been much more. It depends on how badly they want your cake... LOL. I've never had a person complain about a delivery fee. If they don't want to pay they are more than welcome to pick up the cake (and sign an nice release form that waives me of responsibility for what might happen should they be careless).

Last time I checked, gas ain't free and every mile you drive takes profits from your bank account.

We charge $1/minute round trip (based on the Google Maps estimate).

Thanks everyone for your input!!

I charge $1/mile outside of my town (which is a 6 mile square), within my town delivery is free (mainly because it's easier for me to deliver than to arrange to have people picking up at different times since my business is in my home)

Nobody has ever complained about it, and most are excited that it's so cheap!

I charge $25.00 local and any where out of the town area (which is small country town) I charge $35-75.

If it is somewhere I don't want to deliver (or make the cake.. the charges go way up in hopes they will go bother someone else). they have fooled me a couple times and I ended up driving half way accross the state, and the delivery charge was 175.00 (this was before our current gas prices).

But most don't have a problem with what ever I charge when they understand that it is not only delivery but also set up charges.. not just delivery. Something that the normal person doesn't want to do. budget or not.