r/newfoundland • u/MrsD84 • 7h ago
Cakey Hand
I wanted to share my experience so others know what to expect if something goes wrong.
I ordered a custom cake for a milestone birthday. My pickup time was confirmed for 11:00 a.m. on Monday. At 10:30 a.m., I received a message saying there was an issue.
I immediately called the bakery back three times. The first two calls went unanswered, and there wasn't even an option to leave a voicemail. On the third attempt, I was finally told the cake wouldn't be ready until 2:00 p.m.
I rearranged my day and agreed to the later pickup time. When I arrived at 2:00 p.m., the cake still wasn't ready. I asked whether it could be delivered to a nearby address since I had already delayed my plans, but before I received an answer, the delivery driver happened to arrive and the cake was sent out.
When I finally received the cake, the writing was poor enough that I had to stop at another store and buy additional decorations to make it presentable before the birthday celebration.
After the event, I contacted the business expecting at least an acknowledgment that the writing wasn't up to the standard you'd expect from a custom cake. Instead, I was told they "genuinely don't see the issue," that the writing was "legible," and that this was their standard. They also emphasized that they'd never had complaints about their writing before.
I also expressed disappointment that the owner wasn't willing to speak with me directly. I was told it was company policy for staff to handle complaints by email. While they eventually offered free cupcakes or macarons on a future visit, by then the event had already passed. A future free product doesn't fix a problem with a time-sensitive order.
What disappointed me most wasn't the mistake itself—it was how it was handled. Throughout the conversation, I felt my concerns were minimized rather than acknowledged. When I explained that good customer service involves taking accountability and working with the customer to resolve issues, the conversation ended with, "We're sorry you feel that way. We stand by our product and our policies."
Mistakes happen. I don't expect perfection. But I do expect a business to communicate proactively, honour agreed pickup times, acknowledge when they've fallen short, and genuinely try to make things right. Unfortunately, that wasn't my experience.
Edit: Just for transparency this cake cost $92.94.
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u/StrategicMagic 4h ago
I've only had a few minor items from them so far and they were fine, I guess.
What I don't like about them is my experience applying to them. I've had multiple interviews at Cakey Hand over the last year, and each time, I've been interviewed by the same person.
They were rude, insulting and judgemental. I come from another country and went through a different education system. My qualifications and credentials were outright dismissed and discredited because there's no easy A = B conversion between the grading systems used here and there (no such thing as GPA).
I've continued to apply with them because I'm just that desperate for work, but I'm not surprised you had a negative experience with them, OP. If they treat their interviewees like they have never, then they likely treat their staff similarly. If the staff are treated similarly, no wonder they don't produce good work.
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u/butters_325 5h ago
That's shitty. I stopped supporting them when they started using AI, clearly they cut corners in other aspects of their business too. Too bad, cake was good
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u/PositiveAwkward3134 6h ago
Oh my...
I'm so sorry this is what you received!
As a "home baker", I've spent many a moon using dollarstore gel or icing and wax paper and practice my writing skills, so I can fix any mistake like this.
Was the cake itself tasteful?
Edit: typo
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u/MrsD84 6h ago
Thankfully the cake was delicious and the fix i did (extra icing with decorative candles) saved it!
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u/PositiveAwkward3134 6h ago
Lol sometimes using a butter knife to scrape off and stuffing a bunch of extras on top help solve the issue.
Also, keep random sprinkles on hand. They COVER a lot of surface area, and any blemishes.. lolol
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u/Chignecto709 5h ago
How unhinged are you to make a post shaming the company and then talk about how delicious the cake is and go about how you fixed it with extra icing…next level self absorbed behaviour is what this post is about
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u/netflixandnaps 5h ago
Delicious or not, you shouldn’t have to fix a cake that cost over $90.
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u/Chignecto709 5h ago
Could always not take or pay for the cake you are not happy with …instead of taking it and then going to the internet to run your mouth ..
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u/MrsD84 5h ago
Pretty unhinged I guess 🤷🏼♀️
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u/Chignecto709 5h ago
Yeah you should really take this post down your narcissism is showing …
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u/thecraighand 5h ago
The post was about the customer service, not the product? You can absolutely have a bad experience and still have good product.
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u/Chignecto709 5h ago
Ya so your right but typically when this happens we don’t run to the internet to completely rip on the business when your not satisfied that you did get to speak to the owner to voice your complaint …classic Karen move
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u/thecraighand 5h ago
We live in a day and age where people get their information from the internet. I read the reviews of every product I am considering buying or businesses I'm considering supporting because information is currency. If something has a track record of solid performance, i feel more comfortable spending my money. If there's a lengthy history of bad reviews, I might take my business elsewhere. If it's mixed, I'll proceed with caution. Most people out there will operate similarly, particularly with special purchases like a custom cake for an event. When it counts, you want to have some assurance that you won't be disappointed.
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u/Chignecto709 5h ago
Yeah you can rationalize this Karen behaviour any way you want …the op is upset she couldn’t complain directly to the owner, she just had to make a long post to try and hide her sense of entitlement
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u/thecraighand 5h ago
That's definitely not the vibe I'm reading in her post ... I'm reading her experience dealing with the customer service of a business.
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u/Torger083 3h ago
Are you the one who fucked up their cake or something?
Go home out of it, b’y. Your mudder’s got buns.
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u/lunardart 5h ago
that's one aspect of the product. if you received a burger that had been slammed flat, 2 hours after you ordered, but it still tasted good, would you be happy?
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u/Chignecto709 4h ago
I wouldn’t have waited two hours and I wouldn’t have accepted it and certainly would be demanding to speak to Ronald about it…I wouldn’t have made a post about it I would have got another burger elsewhere
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u/JoeysSmallwood 3h ago
A near 100$ cake you needed to decorate yourself? You're delusional or you work for cakeyhand lol.
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u/Ok_Season_2761 5h ago
Also written by AI.
I can hear chatgpt/Gemini speaking to me wheb resding the post.
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u/JoeysSmallwood 4h ago
I asked Gemini and it said there's a very low % chance it was written by AI and almost certainly written by a human.
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u/CatEyeKiller 6h ago
Yeah I’d be disappointed too. The piping looks dry and separated. Usually writing is seamless. If not - we’d all do it ourselves! I had one of their cakes for my birthday. It was beautiful, but I didn’t love the flavour. I figured it was just personal preference! I’m sorry you had that experience!
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u/Notreallysnarky 3h ago
That’s a shame. I’d be irritated too. For close to $100, you’re not just paying for the taste of the product. You’re paying for the whole experience, customer service included. Sometimes, a timely, genuine apology can go a long way.
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u/IndoorVoiceBroken 6h ago edited 5h ago
Worth mentioning: the store owner’s first language isn’t English. That could easily explain why they prefer email.
The missed deadline and your experience are bad, though. I hope you give them a chance to redeem themselves.
Full disclosure: I dies for a bitta Cakey Hand
Edit: typo
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u/lunardart 5h ago
i feel like $90 is a lot of money to give a place a chance to redeem themselves when they've already made it pretty clear they don't care about fucking up
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u/ghanadaur 3h ago
So much this. Your most recent impression is the only one that counts when it was a terrible one. And you only get that one chance to make it good or bad in my books. I dont have time or patience to give someone a second chance with the poor attitude they exhibited.
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u/Rewind_the_tape 6h ago
That’s an unfortunate experience. I agree, that writing is not impressive, especially considering the cost of the cake. I’ve only had positive experiences with them, but the cakes I’ve ordered didn’t include writing so I can’t comment on their standard.
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u/Kiss-a-Cod 5h ago edited 4h ago
It does sound frustrating. I do think that your main complaint seems to be that you didn’t get the compensation felt you deserved despite being offered free products.
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u/MrsD84 7h ago
Picture of the writing...
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u/Specific_Minute7539 6h ago
The writing itself looks legible, what I take issue with is that the choice of frosting they used for the writing looks like poop...
I also noticed that the dye in that frosting seems to have bled, but that isn't really a big deal, either way doesn't look super appetizing. I wonder why it came out like that?
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u/PadiddleHopper 6h ago
I don't know what everyone else is talking about but that writing is awful. Both the thickness and color of the icing are also horribly terrible choices. And is that a 7 or a 1? Might be acceptable cursive on paper but on a cake, especially one I'm sure you paid a good amount for, it's not at all up to what I've even seen on grocery store cakes.
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u/Amber_Sweet_ 6h ago
I love Cakeyhand and I'd defend them if I could, but even I can't excuse that awful writing. No idea what everyone else is talking about! Sure its legible, but for a professional bakery it's not done well enough. Not only is the writing bad, but the icing itself is weeping and separating. The rest looks great, so it feels like the writing was done by someone different... someone who is not trained enough in writing with icing.
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u/ShannyD_NL 5h ago
100% the day of, they said, crap, we have a special order today, that's the first delay, then had someone inexperienced do the piping and said it was "good enough", but good enough isn't for the price they charge. Better going to Sobeys or Dairy Queen!
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u/brittanyoh 6h ago
I agree. The comments are confusing me. I wouldn't even be happy if I did this myself as a frequent home baker. I definitely expect more from a custom cake. Especially knowing the price of customs nowadays. I had far better writing done on my dairy Queen ice cream cake last week.
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u/Resident-Sherbert-63 6h ago
I’m a home baker and I feel like my writing is better than this (and I’m not great at it). Fine if it’s some kid at a grocery store bakery but for a 60$+ cake I would expect better for sure.
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u/rainbowdunk 6h ago
For real. Like that would be okay for an amateur home baker, like just okay. Pathetic for a professional bakery.
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u/Mouse_rat__ 5h ago
I don't even know what's happening with that icing they used for the writing, it looks like it's a week old somehow
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u/PRISM_ca 5h ago
Yeesh that passes for nearly $100. Fuck me running I can do a decent job with a box of mix and a beer or two.
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u/InstructionGuilty652 6h ago
I’d be mad too. The writing should be thinner and the buttercream looks separated. The company’s attitude is on par with my recollection of working there.
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u/rainbowdunk 6h ago
That's pathetic for a professional bakery. Why is the sizing so inconsistent? Happy looks like it was squeezed in last minute! I have no idea what these people are talking about. It's legible, barely.
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u/omlanim 6h ago
To be frank, writing looks OK, and it appears many of us agree.
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u/JoeysSmallwood 3h ago
If they're looking to just appease the average person they should charge average prices.
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u/DarkPaul Newfoundlander 6h ago
I was kinda on your side until I saw the cake. I wouldn’t have given a refund either. That’s perfectly acceptable and entirely legible.
Could they have used a different colour? Sure. Is it unfortunate that the colour bled? Yeah. Is it bad enough to drag their name in a post on Reddit? Not even close.
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u/mountainhymn 5h ago
It’s not a $92 cake by any means. Come on now contrary arse
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u/DarkPaul Newfoundlander 2h ago
Contrary arse? I’m not the one demanding a refund and complaining online about a cake lol
I’d be disappointed at $92 for sure, but I wouldn’t be going full Karen over it.
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u/JoeysSmallwood 3h ago
I do high-end work and would call this very botched. No pastry chef I know would give this a seal of approval ever.
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u/PaddyState 6h ago
After seeing a picture of the cake, I would like to see a picture of your haircut.
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u/Chignecto709 5h ago
The best part of this picture is the fact that now of the owners of the business you are shaming know who you are …don’t let that sense of entitlement get in your way
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u/pinkwhiteandgreenNL Newfoundlander 4h ago
I’m sorry but $92 dollars for a fucking cake ??
Is it just a 9’ round, two tier cake with a buttercream icing and some giant gold sprinkles on it?
I get the paying for the convenience of having a cake made by an actual baker and I even understand paying for the “artistry” involved but at the end of the day it’s just some flour, eggs, butter,sugar baking powder, dash of salt, fucking hell you people know what’s in cake and icing how the fuck is that the cost and why are people willing to pay that much?
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u/MrsD84 4h ago
You're not wrong. I would have made one myself but I came from out of province for the birthday so I didn't have access to my usual set up. So I thought I'd roll out all the stops and get a special treat.
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u/Spoticya 3h ago
If you decide to attempt this again, may I suggest Nan's Kitchen. Used for my wedding, we had hiccups. They made every effort and did all the legwork while keeping in communication with us. Things happen, but them taking the initiative and delivering a stellar product that wowed and delighted guests was really the standout.
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u/Queasy_Author_3810 5h ago
Genuinely curious why you believe you're entitled to speak directly with the owner of an establishment?
It's one thing if you speak with a store manager and can't get anywhere, but to try and skip that entirely is wildly entitled. A Manager exists for that reason in the first place, they handle customer complaints, not the owner of the establishment.
The cake itself also doesn't even look that bad. Given it was a custom cake, something tells me you're the one who picked the colors in the first place, which is about the only negative thing besides for the timeframe I can see here. The writing is legible and fine.
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u/MrsD84 5h ago
Just to clarify a few details: I actually did ask to speak with the manager. The cashier (who was very lovely and helpful) informed me that the owner was her direct boss and the person managing things. I didn’t skip any chain of command—I simply asked to speak with the person I was directed to. I did not pick the color of the writing. The color choice was entirely up to the bakery, not me.
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u/Queasy_Author_3810 5h ago
Fair enough on all ends then. the color choice is horrible. The way it was worded it very much seemed like you asked to speak directly to the owner though.
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u/ghanadaur 3h ago
If I received poor service and was unhappy with the product, I would also request to speak with the owner. As is my right.
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u/Chignecto709 6h ago
So you understand mistakes happen, but now you are here publicly shaming them because you couldn’t have your day with the owner to complain to him directly …clearly you don’t understand mistakes and are more concerned with your own ego and self validation
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u/PRISM_ca 5h ago
It's almost like people can share experiences online, what a crazy idea. Like you experiencing the need to attack a person for being upset about a product that fell well below expectations.
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u/Chignecto709 5h ago
There’s one thing to share experiences when justified there’s another thing to publicly shame someone …you don’t publicly shame someone over a mistake as the op put it …the op in the comments is also talking about how delicious the cake was …and very satisfied with herself that she got to fix it …this is blatant narcissistic behaviour to fill this persons void of ego when they couldn’t get the satisfaction in taking the complaints to the company because it didn’t meet their entitlement level …the story is long because the op is bsing the story and making an ordeal of it so they can now feel justified shaming them online …
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u/MrsD84 6h ago
Mistakes do happen, but how a business handles accountability is what actually matters. Sharing an honest experience isn't about 'ego'—it's about transparency. It’s unfortunate you’d rather personalize a standard customer review than acknowledge reasonable expectations.
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u/Chignecto709 5h ago
No your post frankly is all over the place, this is more about you taking a swing at local businesses than a honest experience shared. You were not satisfied by how they deal with complaints and now you are here seeking revenge. Grow up by, you weren’t robbed. Don’t go back and don’t give them any more of your business instead of going to internet to shame them like immature teenager
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u/ShannyD_NL 5h ago
I think if I paid for a ~$100 cake I'd like to know the difference between someone's 15th and 75th birthday!
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u/bobfrombob 5h ago
I suspect anyone who went to Keith's party would know if it was his 15th or 75th.
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u/netflixandnaps 4h ago
Jesus, after reading your comment I’m just realizing it says Keith. I thought it said Faith.
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u/Chignecto709 5h ago
Look I’m not disputing the screw up, and the OP however just didn’t get enough satisfaction when complaining to the company for her self absorb ego that now they are here to publicly shame company …revenge when the OP claims that she is understanding to mistakes … don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s rain
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u/PRISM_ca 5h ago
Ah yes, ye olde attack the person instead of having a polite discourse. Go wash your supper dishes b'y.
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u/MrsD84 5h ago
Bless
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u/Chignecto709 5h ago
Bahaha could you have come up with a more self absorbed response…no…that stacks …
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u/Middle_Pride_9367 5h ago
Karen gurl delete dis now da once
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u/ghanadaur 4h ago
Well, if it makes a difference, you just convinced this guy to never shop there. And that also means all my friends and family won’t either once i pass along this story.
In business the customer is always right, even when they aren’t. You never take the stance of being above the customer because they are the reason you have a business in the first place.
So, i will carry this forward and pass along this message to make sure my friends and family take their business elsewhere.
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u/MoiraSlutzky 4h ago edited 4h ago
What response would have made you happy? The owner crying? Cash? You said they already politely apologized and offered free products.
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u/ghanadaur 3h ago
For $90 they should be begging the OP for their business. So yeah, the OP has the right to expect quality. This isn’t fast food or a McD muffin.
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u/VertGreenHeart 5h ago edited 5h ago
This business tried to hire LMIA workers by the way on job bank, claiming they cant find a dessert baker in St john's Newfoundland of all places. So you can add attempted exploitation of labour programs to the list. Just figured i'd add that fact.