It's not clear if he went to the (unnamed) restaurant anyway or whether he went elsewhere. But his complaint started a predictable Twitter storm, with some people saying the charge was unjustified and others saying it was quite reasonable as the diners would be using a restaurant table and probably wouldn't have ordered a dessert. It was also pointed out that restaurants operate on very low profit margins and can't afford to let people sit and eat their own food.
I must say I'm on the side of the restaurant. I don't see why people should be allowed to eat their own food when the whole point of going to a restaurant is to have food provided.
I gather a cakeage charge is very common when diners want to bring their own celebration cake. Maybe £10 is a bit steep, but if you have a dozen diners and none of them order a dessert, that could be a loss to the restaurant of £80 or so - hardly a trivial sum. And don't forget the cost of washing up all the dirty plates afterwards.
London restaurateur Asma Khan says she not only bans diners from bringing in their own cakes, she also bans them from singing Happy Birthday. That seems a bit extreme. There's no cost involved and in my experience other diners find the celebrations rather charming.
Not that I need worry about cakeage charges. I haven't had a birthday cake for many years. I prefer Lindt truffles and choc ices.
I’ve encountered both. Restaurants who are happy to have a group celebration bring a cake because it’s still profit for them for all the dinners served and restaurants who charge you for bringing a cake. It’s understandable if the restaurant has cake on the menu, but many restaurants don’t have much in the way of dessert. I remember when they used to provide the birthday person with a free piece of cake. I haven’t seen that in a long time.
ReplyDeleteBijoux: I must say I've never seen anything like birthday cake on a restaurant menu, so it's understandable that someone would want to bring a cake in.
DeleteI have been to a number of birthday parties in restaurants where the family had brought a cake and have never heard anybody complain about an extra charge being made. In fact, the restaurants here, arrange for the cake to be brought in on a suitable platform too.
ReplyDeleteRamana: It looks like Indian restaurants are more easygoing about birthday cakes. Perhaps they don't want to look mean?
DeleteI agree that it is reasonable for restaurants to charge a cake fee to recover lost revenue; however, in the interest public relations and good will I think the amount they are charging per person is much too high.
ReplyDeleteColette: I think the minimum charge is about £3.50 a person, so £10 is pretty steep.
DeleteI can see a charge but that was a bit pricey.
ReplyDeleteMary: Presumably the high price is intended to deter people from bringing in cakes altogether.
DeleteI think the fee is reasonable, and if they can afford to loose the business anyway, how much is too much?
ReplyDeleteJoanne: This is the question, do people desert the restaurant and start using another, or do they just pay up?
DeleteThat cake looks good! Seems reasonable to me to charge if people bring their own cake as you describe.
ReplyDeleteJoared: Seems reasonable to me too, especially given the low profit margins I mentioned.
DeleteI side with the restaurant in that they need to make a profit. But the restaurant errs on the side of goodwill. To have a $20 dessert, that restaurant is much more posh than the sort I go to. Where I live, most restaurants are more than happy to accommodate your cake. And even when there is no cake brought, they will give a complimentary dessert to the Birthday person.
ReplyDeleteI would consider how many were attending. A few, I would pay. A lot, well that cake will go home with the birthday person.
Ann: A complimentary dessert for the birthday person, I've never heard of that before - very welcoming! True, the number of diners would make a difference to willingness to pay.
DeleteGosh, that is so petty. Let the customer eat their cake. In the meantime, if I were the restaurateur, I'd bring out and suggest the finest of dessert wines/liqueurs to go with that cake; presented with charm and best wishes for the birthday boy/girl. Who will resist? Trust me, he/she will be in the money.
ReplyDeleteCakeage indeed,
U
Ursula: That's an ingenious response to the birthday cake dilemma. Some pricey alcohol to wash it down with!
DeleteBlimey, £10 a head is steep. I'd have my cake at home instead - and also have dessert at the restaurant!
ReplyDeleteSx
Ms Scarlet: Very sensible! Especially if you're expected to pay for the whole group of diners. Eating at home would be a lot cheaper.
DeleteI think it's fair not to let people bring in a cake, particularly if there is cake or other desserts on the menu. You aren't renting a venue, you're buying food at a restaurant. If you aren't doing that, they need the table for someone who is willing to buy their food.
ReplyDeleteAgent: I agree with all of that. As you say, they're not renting a venue, they're buying food.
DeleteWe have taken our own cakes to places where we were celebrating birthdays and never thought about it but I do think the restaurant has a right to charge cakeage, it becomes quite labour intensive for them.
ReplyDeleteThe place where we had my daughters' 21st did an absolutely terrible job and didn't live up to the agreement we had so I don't feel bad about that.
The place where we had mum and dads 50th wedding anniversary was a club where poker machines bring in millions of dollars so I don't feel bad about that, either.
Kylie: Sorry to hear the birthday party was so badly handled. And yes, if the pokies are raising so much money, they can afford to overlook the odd brought-in birthday cake.
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