I’m feeling out of touch with how the world, society or whatever is trying to function.
I wanted a cake some time ago. Just a little something to celebrate a special moment. So I decided to stop at a local bakery that makes cakes on order.
Now let me underline the following: I wanted a cake. Something sweet to share.
However…
Once I say what I wanted, they call the “cake designer” to come sit with me to go over the details of the cake.
I wanted a plain old cake, rectangular in shape, light fluffy sponge, double layered, with strawberry jam filling, with vanilla scented cream cover and a single word on it, written in dark chocolate.
I could see the disdain mountain on the “cake designers” eyes as I described what I wanted. Followed by their soul leaving their body as I refused every single alternative or change to what I wanted.
Order settled, I asked to pay in advance, against an invoice. Some hesitation but it did happen.
Then, as I was about to leave, I was asked to add the bakery in Instagram, to which I asked why. It was for them to tag me in the photo of the cake, so I was alerted it was ready for delivery. But I don’t have Instagram. Nor FB. Nor Whatsapp.
I literally live 50 meters away from the store. I said I could just stop by the next day and pick up the cake. It was like explaining an alien concept.
I’m going insane. It has to be that.
The cake was fine. But I won’t risk going there again.
Modern sales tactics and staff targets have ruined the retail experience in totality.
You used to be able to avoid it by patronising small businesses, but the race to the bottom has concluded and everyone does it now
I’ll take the wholesale experience, please and thank you. Shut up and take my money. Emphasis on the “Shut Up” part.
Don’t know about the first part but on the second I can only say the staff is paid a wage of, at least €900, monthly.
No commission, no tips, nothing else.
Reading this, you’re not insane, the world of small commercial cake making is. Some of this reeks of wanting your cake to be, in part, advertisement for the business - resistance to your more plain stylistic choices (not ‘Insta-worthy’ from the sound of it), not using the workflow that gets this work on their feed for folks to look at, etc.
Like, in one sense I get it, but in another it’s a cake motherfucker. Take money for cake. Make cake. Give cake. That’s the core business, and sometimes that’s all you need to or should do.
Some small local companies seem to get off on being hard to get a hold of, judgemental in matters of taste, and just overall unpleasant to deal with. Unfortunately you found a bad one.
I have a theory that a cookie shop in my area is a front for that reason, but I digress…
A front? For what?
Laundering money of course. There seems to be several restaraunt chains that exist for the same reason. Hardee’s and Long John Silver’s for example.
If my readings serve me well, Long John Silver was the pirate cook and then captain from Treasure Island.
So… Perhaps? Would make sense.
