Cake tasting question

Smooch711

Just wondering what your experience has been regarding "paying" for a cake tasting. We met with one baker who did not charge, and even gave us more to take home. FI and I wanted to meet with another baker just for comparison. This one charges for the tasting. We don't really mind the fee, it's just the idea of it that gets both of us. What have any of you run into with this?

kwortman80

We've only worked with one baker, and she does 2 cake types for free, and any additional at $5 per cake.  Each flavor is a small size cake and you take the leftovers.  

IMO if the charges were nominal (like what our baker charged) and the reviews are good, I wouldn't feel weird about paying for it.  I'd probably want to see reviews before I put out money for cake, though.  No reviews = not paying.  But I'm a sucker for reviews.

meagandal

definitely! We met with  3 bakers and didn't pay for anything!  I could see a fee that came off you order throught them if anything jsut to secure that they don't wast product if you no-show.  But I think it may have caused me pause.

The baker we went with sent us home with an additional 3 cupcakes and a dozen pastries on top of 3 cake sample-which were generous peices too!

QueerFemme

We did three tastings.  One of them charges a $10.00 flat fee.  Another charged a fee of 10.00 but, you get it taken off the price of the cake if you order from them.  Another didn't charge anything, unless the sample you wanted had fresh fruit in it.  Then, they charged $5.00.   

AshnRobo

I've never had a baker charge for tastings. The first time I was engaged we were planning a DW and even in NOLA (which is a much larger city then where I am now) didn't charge.

I've gone with several friends as their bridesmaid to tastings, and never have they been charged. I really think that is ridiculous and I wouldn't bother with a baker that charges for tastings.

They are trying to sell you a service that you can't decide on without seeing what they can offer. They aren't photographers or DJ's where they can show you samples of their work with print or video. Their work is something that has to be experienced with nearly all your senses (unless you have a musical cake...). I think it would be silly for a bride to book a baker without trying the cake first. I also think that bakers should realize that, and tasting should be part of their business model. Charging a (potential) client to recieve advirtisement is just bad business.

QueerFemme

I think it must be a regional thing. I looked at probably 15 bakeries, and more than half of them charged a nominal fee.   

MrsBassPlaya

I've heard of it, too.  It's not common, but not so uncommon that I think it's ridiculous.  I understand that they have to buy the supplies and put time into making the cakes, so I wouldn't be too bothered by it if it were a few dollars.  Anything more thatn $10 or so is unreasonable, though.

doublenn

I think all the cake bakers in my area charge a fee. The majority will take it off the total if you order from them, and none of them are more than $10.

Smooch711

Thanks for all your input.

FI and I have been going back and forth. We finally decided to just cancel. It's a $20 fee, and as much as I like cake, I just don't agree with it.

It might be a regional thing, not sure. I did post on my local board and I got a similar response of more than $10 isn't right.

morenachica110

Our baker didn't charge us anything but I have seen some in this area that say they do on their websites. I can understand because some people may be just trying to pretend they are getting married (like when girls try dresses on) just for fun and wasting everyone's time. If it was more than mayb 10-15 though I'd probably just find somewhere else because I'm a cheap-o.

QueerFemme

PS.  I think all of the bakeries that charged in my area take that off the price of the cake if you order from them.  I didn't feel too bad paying for the tastings after I realized that.   I figured, we only did three tastings... we paid $30.00 for all three, and got one of them refunded when we bought the cake.  So, I thought 30-40 dollars isn't a lot to pay to make sure we end up with the cake we really wanted.

We did find one place that didn't charge for tastings, but their reviews weren't that great on YELP, so we decided to cancel our tasting there.

jessa1228

I can understand why bakeries would charge a tasting fee. It's the same reason why H&MU artists charge for a trial - you're using their supplies, they need to pay for them somehow. My baker isn't charging us because our cake is included in our venue contract.

hollyweenOR

Ours would charge for the tasting if you didn't book w/ her (though you didn't have to decide on the spot, though we were perfectly happy w/ her and did book), I think it was $20. But she writes it off if you book.