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What's your opinion on bringing a birthday cake into a restaurant?
Posted on 9/4/19 at 9:25 am
Posted on 9/4/19 at 9:25 am
I had this discussion with someone the other day. What's the general consensus here? I feel like if you want dessert you should order it from the restaurant. Other person said it is no big deal and does it regularly. While I agree it is not a big deal, just kinda seems rude to bring outside food into an establishment.
19
Posted on 9/4/19 at 9:28 am to al_cajun
Not a big deal, assuming there is plenty of eating and drinking going on already.
Posted on 9/4/19 at 9:28 am to al_cajun
Not a big deal. Of course you should ask first.
Posted on 9/4/19 at 9:31 am to al_cajun
Not an issue.
But if they are involved with helping you in any way with it (storing, cutting, plates, serving, cleaning) add extra tip or don’t be surprised/upset at an outside cake fee (I’ve never seen it over $20)
But if they are involved with helping you in any way with it (storing, cutting, plates, serving, cleaning) add extra tip or don’t be surprised/upset at an outside cake fee (I’ve never seen it over $20)
Posted on 9/4/19 at 9:35 am to al_cajun
If we're talking a private room for a group dinner and you've previously arranged with the restaurant & are paying a cake fee, fine.
Otherwise, it always seems tacky to me. You're literally bringing in outside food to consume while taking up space in a restaurant. Why is it so hard to go out to dinner then meet up at someone's house for cake afterward? Or, skip the group dinner and simply get together for cake & bubbly?
Note: if you're bringing a box of cupcakes to a bar that doesn't really serve food, that's different. But you should still ask and not be a jerk if told "no outside food".
Otherwise, it always seems tacky to me. You're literally bringing in outside food to consume while taking up space in a restaurant. Why is it so hard to go out to dinner then meet up at someone's house for cake afterward? Or, skip the group dinner and simply get together for cake & bubbly?
Note: if you're bringing a box of cupcakes to a bar that doesn't really serve food, that's different. But you should still ask and not be a jerk if told "no outside food".
Posted on 9/4/19 at 9:54 am to al_cajun
I'm not a fan of it personally, but I don't think there is anything improper about it, even at fairly nice restaurants.
Birthday cake is a tradition. Some people think cake when they think birthday. And they don't think about a chef concoction, they think sponge and icing. And that's fine.
To me the question is just like wine/corkage. Are you you doing something the restaurant can't/doesn't do, or are you trying to avoid costs? Bringing a bottle of decoy to a prime steakhouse is frowned upon, and rightfully so. But usually when I see cake at a restaurant gathering it's not precluding some people from getting dessert, it's just part of the theme that makes the dinner a "birthday" dinner.
Birthday cake is a tradition. Some people think cake when they think birthday. And they don't think about a chef concoction, they think sponge and icing. And that's fine.
To me the question is just like wine/corkage. Are you you doing something the restaurant can't/doesn't do, or are you trying to avoid costs? Bringing a bottle of decoy to a prime steakhouse is frowned upon, and rightfully so. But usually when I see cake at a restaurant gathering it's not precluding some people from getting dessert, it's just part of the theme that makes the dinner a "birthday" dinner.
Posted on 9/4/19 at 10:00 am to hungryone
quote:
Otherwise, it always seems tacky to me. You're literally bringing in outside food to consume while taking up space in a restaurant. Why is it so hard to go out to dinner then meet up at someone's house for cake afterward? Or, skip the group dinner and simply get together for cake & bubbly?
This. Just seems weird.
Posted on 9/4/19 at 10:17 am to al_cajun
Call first and don’t be surprised if there is a fee.
Posted on 9/4/19 at 10:23 am to al_cajun
It's not something I would do. It would feel weird to me. I would rather order a desert there or have cake with the family at a different time and place.
Posted on 9/4/19 at 10:25 am to al_cajun
Usually we just order a few desserts and pass around, no one eats a ton of bday cake anyways.
For my 3yo bday dinner at the pizza place we brought a small cake. They have 0 desserts on the menu.
Restaurants should be accommodating if you bring a cake and are polite about it. If you bring one from Costco, want them to store it and cut it up well then tip accordingly.
For my 3yo bday dinner at the pizza place we brought a small cake. They have 0 desserts on the menu.
Restaurants should be accommodating if you bring a cake and are polite about it. If you bring one from Costco, want them to store it and cut it up well then tip accordingly.
This post was edited on 9/4/19 at 10:28 am
Posted on 9/4/19 at 10:28 am to al_cajun
I would ask first, expect / offer to pay a "plate charge" to offset the profit on the desserts that the restaurant would be missing out on , and of course adjust tip
Posted on 9/4/19 at 11:12 am to al_cajun
quote:
I had this discussion with someone the other day. What's the general consensus here? I feel like if you want dessert you should order it from the restaurant. Other person said it is no big deal and does it regularly. While I agree it is not a big deal, just kinda seems rude to bring outside food into an establishment.
From a servers perspective, I absolutely hated it. Restaurant even charged a "Cake Cutting Fee" yet as soon as the guests complained, that fee was removed. It was always just a pain in the arse with a lot of extra work for the employee.
Posted on 9/4/19 at 11:17 am to al_cajun
I'm not a fan of it, but the times I do it I make sure the server is offered a slice, and I add some to the tip for the server. It happens so frequently most places are fine with it.
Posted on 9/4/19 at 11:43 am to The Spleen
I’ve never seen it or heard of it. If this is a pizza joint as mentioned earlier for some kids and they don’t have desserts in the menu, that’s one thing.
If you are going to a decent restaurant with adults, it seems absurd.
If you are going to a decent restaurant with adults, it seems absurd.
Posted on 9/4/19 at 12:20 pm to al_cajun
I don't really have an opinion one way or the other, but I entirely understand a fee for it.
Posted on 9/4/19 at 12:40 pm to al_cajun
Be nice about it. Don’t expect them to go out of their way to serve your cake perfectly for you. When they do go out of their way, be sure to tip extra.
If you have to keep the cake refrigerated, you’re an a-hole, unless you’re at a higher class restaurant and you call and ask ahead of time.
If you have to keep the cake refrigerated, you’re an a-hole, unless you’re at a higher class restaurant and you call and ask ahead of time.
Posted on 9/4/19 at 1:23 pm to al_cajun
It doesn’t bother me, however a fee should be addressed to compensate the wait staff for providing cutting utensils, plates, and their time.
This post was edited on 9/4/19 at 1:47 pm
Posted on 9/4/19 at 1:37 pm to al_cajun
From the restaurant perspective, you are wasting time and money bringing in outside food items. Done eating and drinking, get out! Want to bring in a cake go to someone's house. Buy the food and experience don't change the model. In the end the restaurant suffers a bad review if a customer is not happy with some cake portion of the meal that has nothing to do with the restaurant.
If you invited a friend over to your house for a closed invite-only party and one of your friends brings a few more guest then you prepared for? I'm sure you would be pissed. That's how a restaurant would feel.
If you invited a friend over to your house for a closed invite-only party and one of your friends brings a few more guest then you prepared for? I'm sure you would be pissed. That's how a restaurant would feel.
This post was edited on 9/4/19 at 4:48 pm
Posted on 9/4/19 at 1:46 pm to al_cajun
It obviously depends on the situation, but I generally think it's fine. If you're celebrating and are building up a substantial bill then most restaurants will be happy to cut/plate the cake for you. If people are being stingy and ordering the cheapest entrees and not really drinking then maybe not.
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