No Cake For You List...what Lands People On That List?

Lounge By Webake2gether Updated 16 Aug 2016 , 10:01am by -K8memphis

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Webake2gether Posted 8 Aug 2016 , 11:29pm
post #1 of 41

I've dealt with some rather difficult people and have even developed a secret "no cake for you list" in my head lol. What are some things that land people on your "no cake" list?

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2kats Posted 8 Aug 2016 , 11:47pm
post #2 of 41

When people ask if I can email a picture of the cake when I finish it, before they pick it up  

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gscout73 Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 1:00am
post #3 of 41

Entitlement. Some people feel entitled to a free or nearly free cake, and have no appreciation for the effort that goes into preparing, baking and decorating it. 

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FrostedMoon Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 1:29am
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Pushing and pushing and pushing the boundaries of what I'm willing to do and won't take no for an answer.  Sometimes no really IS the answer!!!

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SweetShop5 Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 2:04am
post #5 of 41

Definitely people who try and get discounts, or people who message you for last minute orders because the person who was supposed to make the cake for free wasn't available.

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LelekBolek Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 9:50am
post #6 of 41

Being a jerk, for sure. Being an entitled jerk, even more so.

I never understood why people would talk in a demeaning fashion to someone competent and qualified, from whom they are attempting to secure services from. I honestly respect all labor, be it a rocket surgeon, or a public restroom cleaning lady, hard to even say which one is more important.

Why people think they can rudely boss around and try to cheat/other a cake maker? "No cake for you!", indeed. 

Also, I am somewhat "afraid" of helicopter moms, but that isn't always the same as above :-)

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MimiFix Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 11:41am
post #7 of 41

All of the above! It's the pushy, demanding, entitled customers who concern me, not the ones who are nice but unfamiliar with ordering cakes. I've learned to listen to my instinct that there's trouble ahead. Even if I'm not sure why I'm uncomfortable, suddenly their date is already booked. So sorry!

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Webake2gether Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 2:21pm
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Waste my time more than once and I'll never take your order. And I don't mean request a quote and decline I totally understand it won't work out every time but there is a lady who does that and she never responds after the price is quoted  not even a thanks but that's not within our budget and she has been referred to our menu many times so she should be somewhat familiar with the pricing at this point.

Or when there is a deposit or payment issue wanting to move the due date or saying they'll pay the deposit then ask to pay the full balance 2 weeks before the due date and them not understanding that payment secures the date. I had that happen once and when the deposit due date passed I emailed them and said sorry the date has been booked (which we did have another cake due so it was the truth) and we are no longer available to take your order. She flipped out and her true colors showed and I couldn't be more grateful to have dodged that. Trusting my gut has paid off big time.

There was one lady I was sure was going to be awful to deal with and she turned out to be a really nice lady and I'm glad I rolled the dice and fulfilled her order  she came to us after another bakery basically treated her awful then she found us. It was kind of a rocky start and she just wasn't very happy from the get go. Once I delivered the cakes she was beyond thrilled and she even called me to thank me and tell me how great everything was. Looking back her being difficult with me was bc she was still offended and rubbed the wrong way by the previous bakery and rightfully so. So when I deal with people I always try to look at all the facts to see where it's coming from before I decide to tell them we're booked lol  but if your downright rude you'll make that decision easier. 

Also the pushing me to do something I don't do also doesn't sit well with me. People wanting character cakes and sheet cakes seem to do a lot of pushing I want what I want type attitude see ya!! We've yet to be told by anyone that their free cake fell through but I'm sure it will happen :) 

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SweetNeddy Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 3:06pm
post #9 of 41

Anyone who starts by saying: "I make cakes, too....: This never ends well.

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-K8memphis Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 7:29pm
post #10 of 41

i had to work with everybody even cranky bosses, co-workers who i would rather prefer to put on my "NO" list than my worst customer -- at some point the customer went away -- the boss and co-workers did not --the only customer that i refused that i can remember is the one who couldn't pay my price -- but if they came to order later sure i'd do it -- i was out for money -- guess i had no list -- 

i got enough genuine baggage -- i didn't need any cake baggage --

oh and i declined orders across the board during the times when i "retired" -- i think there was a voluntary retirement when i worked full time before this current involuntary one -- oh and one when i went insane because i was working in a bakery thursday friday saturday (kids were little) and all my orders at home were for saturday and i was therefore working two jobs on top of each other and i went nuts -- no es bueno -- 

hell i'll do the cake for a pia if you'll pay me -- why not -- 

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Claire138 Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 8:08pm
post #11 of 41


Quote by @SweetNeddy on 5 hours ago

Anyone who starts by saying: "I make cakes, too....: This never ends well.


Yep, or "I could do it, I just don't have the time" Like it's just a by the way thing we do bc we've nothing else going on.

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costumeczar Posted 9 Aug 2016 , 10:06pm
post #12 of 41

Rude+entitled=no cake for you

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me_me1 Posted 10 Aug 2016 , 7:02am
post #13 of 41

Oh, all of the above!!

I had one lady ask for two, two tier cakes (one for each of her twins) with matching cupcakes for their birthday. She picked them up, didn't say much, and then when I saw her a couple of days later she not only didn't say "thanks", or "great cake, the party was a hit" or anything like that, but completely blanked me, not even a hello or a teensy chin lift of acknowledgement.  We were in a lift together, just us two, so I know she saw me.  I just wrote it off as general rudeness.  Then a couple of months later she asked for another cake order.  I was booked up (to her).  Then another little while after that she asked about another order.  Again, to her, I was booked up.  No cake for you, lady!  I don't need someone to gush thanks or anything like that but at least a teensy bit of acknowledgement if you're riding a lift together!  Felt so awkward.

Another lady told me, "I actually bake really well but I just can't be bothered for this party". Ummm, sure, okay.  Really felt motivated for that order.  At least I got nice feedback from that particular one.


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LelekBolek Posted 10 Aug 2016 , 10:45am
post #14 of 41

I "like" it when a mom asks for an elaborate cake for her 1 or 2 year-old child, and then blames the decorator because the kid hated it.  Because 1 y.o. children are soooo predictable!  Lady, you ordered a cake that _you_ wanted. You got exactly that, and even said you loved it.  

I once had a client who nearly flipped because she forgot that we switched the tiers flavors (larger chocolate bottom/vanilla top, instead of other way around).  She texted me right away, upon this traumatic discovery. What "saved" it, is that all of the cake was eaten at her party, but more people wanted chocolate. She complained that there were no leftovers though. Because some people wanted seconds, but she'd asked the venue cake server to save her a few slices.  That "drama" was in her email to me. It was equally full of praise and complains, and left me feeling off-balance. I did have to remind her, and include a copy of prior discussion, about switching tiers. 

I agree that some degree of acknowledgement is appreciated, as well as getting back in response for a quote.  Calling or frantically emailing about how much you'd like a cake, engaging in the preliminary design or quote discussion, and then falling off tge face of the Earth is irritating, at the least.

Also am very cautious with "i can make a cake myself, but..." or "my daughter/cousin/nwighbor makes cakes, but...". There are legit "buts", but not in most such cases.

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MimiFix Posted 10 Aug 2016 , 11:10am
post #15 of 41

@me_me1 ‍that customer had very bad manners. You were treated like the hired help, invisible when it wasn't necessary to communicate her needs. When someone hires us to make them a product, we are the hired help. We just don't feel like it. blush.png

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Webake2gether Posted 10 Aug 2016 , 12:29pm
post #16 of 41

Agreed with all of the above!! I'm used to feeling like a second class citizen when you grow up poorer than poor at least here it just kind of happens that way sometimes. so when people don't treat me like anything more than the "help" I can deal with it bc that's their problem not mine :) 

I just remind myself who just got paid a nice chunk of change lol. I've only had that happen maybe once or twice and most of our customers are absolutely wonderful to work with so I have very few complaints. Usually people who have yet to order find themselves on my no cake list. Also I am in this business to make money but I won't be disrespected or bossed around like a child for the sake of the old mighty dollar and I won't make someone else's  lack of planning my emergency bc a cake is not worth getting crazy stressed out about. I also won't do the payment tango pay me here pay me there it's all on a set of certain terms or they can move along.  Stressing about payments is also not worth it. 

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 11:58am
post #17 of 41

i understand for the most part the spirit of this thread -sort of -- I'm not saying we're not free to conduct business as we see fit -- I'm offering a gentle word of serious caution that the people who are refused service also have rights -- 

handling difficult customers is part of business ownership -- so just be careful -- in all the many businesses I've worked for -- none of them had a 'no cake for you list' -- zero bakeries -- 

they did have a handful of bounced checks that they would display so they could get paid for services rendered and refuse business to those customers until they paid up -- or only take cash transactions

running a business is about money not feelings -- no one should actually be collecting names on a for real list -- going forward that kind of documentation could be called 'evidence'

best to all

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640Cake Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 12:42pm
post #18 of 41

So, it's wrong to tell someone "that day is booked," but it's okay to publicly humiliate someone who wrote a bad check?  Glad I don't accept checks grin.png

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MimiFix Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 12:44pm
post #19 of 41

Kate, I understand your sentiment. I think it depends upon circumstances, but refusing to do business with someone can be counterproductive to running a profitable business.

However, I'm not sure what you mean by evidence. To be used in a criminal case, Federal or State, involving discrimination? As I understand it, criminal charges of discrimination only apply to protected groups, such as someone's sex, race, age, disability, color, creed, national origin, or religion. There's no protection for a PITA. Or are you referring to a civil case, or a Facebook/media/nasty review problem?  

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 3:58pm
post #20 of 41


Quote by @640Cake on 18 minutes ago

So, it's wrong to tell someone "that day is booked," but it's okay to publicly humiliate someone who wrote a bad check?  Glad I don't accept checks grin.png

no no no no no -- I'm giving another view -- clearly I literally said we're free to run our businesses as we wish -- 
re: the bad checks -- thieves have no right to privacy -- it was a last ditch effort to collect and I still see checks posted sometimes -- and they aren't always posted toward the public -- they're there to remind staff -- we see thieves Faces everywhere now as they are committing crimes -- I guess I really don't understand what you mean, sorry



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-K8memphis Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 4:33pm
post #21 of 41

mimi -- I just always thought of the "no cake for you" phrase as a take off on that Seinfeld episode where that cook would say "no soup for you" -- it was coined I thought to help sooth jangled nerves when some unpleasantry/catastrophe happened to a cake/caker -- it seems to have taken on a life of it's own -- and I never considered it standard operating procedure -- I wanted to make money -- money from crabs spends as good as from nice people --

it's a big buzz word today to refuse service to someone  -- the only law is the law of public opinion -- so all I'm saying is heads up -- there's other ways to think about it while some of us have landed in very hot meringue with this refusing service one way or another --

like Amy's Baking Company Phoenix took it to all time low -- an absurd extreme example -- they fired staff and refused service seemingly more than they sold stuff, battled online reviewers and Gordon Ramsay and I guess every ghost of Christmas past present & future


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Webake2gether Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 6:56pm
post #22 of 41

The no cake list isn't for crabs that's rather ridiculous the no cake for you list is reserved for people who are downright rude or have outrageous behavior or think that they don't have to follow policy. And there is what's called a black list at banks and if your on it they don't do business with you. There are plenty of businesses who have a no service for you list bc some people are just not capable of being served or sold to. people are barred from places all the time are they wrong for banishing people? No they are trying to run a business (much like myself and others on here) and I don't have time to deal with foolishness. It's not about feelings I'm the last person to let feelings get in the way of my business people in general should treat each other with respect and when that doesn't happen I'm not going to put up with it. In a perfect world everybody would nice and lovely but unfortunately they are more people trying to get one over on you so you have to watch yourself. As far as counterproductive to business one lady is on my list for wasting my time multiple times which is more of a loss than any order she may have ever placed. 

also nobody here is talking about battling it online or making a public list of people to shame them. This wasn't meant to be taken in a refuse business bc of someone's race religion or gender or all the other hot button issues and it should not be misconstrued that way. I certainly  don't believe anyone on here has ever acted or would act like that. I get the sense that something is always taken out of context or accusations are made that aren't necessary. That's unfortunate:(



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Pastrybaglady Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 8:23pm
post #23 of 41

I think the no cake list is reserved for the people who give you so much grief it wasn't worth the money for the amount of aggravation they gave you.

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Webake2gether Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 8:33pm
post #24 of 41

I am publicly announcing my most recent induction to the no cake for you list .... My husband lol he texted me quite a few times today wanting me to make this and that bc he wants to try his hand at flooding and now he wants to make a specialty cake and says and I quote " if you can get cracking on that" I'm about to crack something alright haha!!! In all seriousness I love him to pieces and appreciate his enthusiasm :) 

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costumeczar Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 8:38pm
post #25 of 41


Quote by @Pastrybaglady on 10 minutes ago

I think the no cake list is reserved for the people who give you so much grief it wasn't worth the money for the amount of aggravation they gave you.

Exactly...if you run a business you need to be able to set limits. If you have to waste so much time dealing with one specific person, regardless of the reason, it makes more business sense to just not deal with them. Refer them to someone you don't like.

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MimiFix Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 9:05pm
post #26 of 41

Well now I'm confused. I hope I didn't offend anyone. Kate made a statement about evidence (post #17) and my only intent was to understand what she meant. My husband was in law enforcement and always (and I mean always) differentiated between criminal and civil. Maybe I should have asked her in a PM. My apologies.    

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 9:16pm
post #27 of 41

whoa there were no accusations

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Webake2gether Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 9:17pm
post #28 of 41

@MimiFix ‍ not offense at all taken by me from you  and none of the above comment was directed towards you in any way shape or form. That "evidence" comment in post #17 shouldn't have been made and was the entire focus of my comment.  

You did make a good point about refusing customers being counterproductive though and I would agree that if every little annoyance from customers wound them up on the no cake list then we would be shooting ourselves in the foot lol :) 



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Webake2gether Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 9:27pm
post #29 of 41

hey K8 I'm not arguing with you. your comments always seem to be opposite to whatever the thread is about. It's like you have to find something to pick apart and create tension within the thread. that's why I avoid responding to you at all. It wasn't necessary to say that "documentation  moving forward could be evidence" like what does that even mean why would someone say that? It's a no cake for your list not discrimination of someone's personal rights. Good grief mountain out of a mole hole :(

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-K8memphis Posted 12 Aug 2016 , 10:28pm
post #30 of 41

i'm sorry you're upset again

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