Four Seasons Catering and Bakery

Review: I ordered a cake from this establishment, the cake was for my daughters first birthday-and everyone knows is a special birthday. We agreed on a cake, design, and price. On March 01, 2014 I go to the "bakery" to pick up my cake, it was dark inside and the lady acted like she was in a hurry guess she had cakes to deliver. I looked at the "big cupcake" from what I could see in the "dim" lighting everything looked okay, then she showed me the 2-tier cake which was wrapped in saran wrap, it was hard to tell anything about it from the lighting and bunched up saran wrap. The whole time she's telling me "I just think it turned out real good I really do". I payed my remaining balance of $65.05 after the deposit of $40.00 on February 27, 2014 via Debit Card, I didn't receive a receipt for the $65.05. She carried big cake out to my van and I carried the cake in "half-shut" box she closes door and I leave. I meet my sister and fiancé in [redacted] parking lot directly across from this establishment, maybe 15 foot. I open my van door to "show-off" my cake, heck I payed $105.00 for it, I was wanting to show everybody. What I saw horrified me, with the sun out I could see more clearly and realized what she sold me was not worth no $105.00, I could have made it myself and done a better job!!! My fiancé was mad that we were charged such a large amount for this cake that was such a mess. The owl and other fondant items were falling off, there were crumbs in the cake, even a finger imprint, the "big cupcake" was "lop-sided" and icing was cracked on it. I immediately started crying and called the lady, no answer so I left a message, my fiancé called back no answer so he left a message. I was clearly upset with what had happened I had paid $105.00-which is a crazy amount to pay for a cake, but this is my daughter's (only) first birthday and I wanted it to be perfect, but what I had in my possession was a mess-a big mess. I started to panic, I knew looking at it that there was no way I'd have it at the party I was embarrassed at my situation. I spent the next hour calling bakeries and lucked up and found [redacted] Cakes, I told her my story and she made me a cake in 3 hours, I picked it up and I cried with joy, it was beautiful, flawless, come in boxes( not saran wrap) and something I was so proud of and only had to pay $30.00-yeah $30.00!!! The party come and went it was wonderful everyone enjoyed the new cake, I told my friends and family of my ordeal with "Four Seasons" , showed them pictures and they were shocked and thought for sure I'd be able to get my money back. That's a lot of money just to throw away. I called the lady Monday March 03, 2014 and she tells me she can't help the cake had a hot and bumpy ride!!! That really made me mad, I drove 15 foot and noticed the problems even called and left message at that time, I took a couple pics then. She also said you were happy with it before you left here, well from what I could see in the dim lighting and saran wrap I was , not to mention if your paying $105.00 for something you expect flawless results, no worries at all, for you are paying $105.00 you expect PERFECTION and what I received was far from it!!! She went on to say she's never had complaints before, all I know is there is a first time for everything. She needs to have lights on when people are looking at the cakes and definitely not have it drowned in saran wrap, find a proper box for the cake!!! And maybe I should of took a better look and not have been confident with them based on how much I was paying. Either way I feel like I should be reimbursed for the cake, I still have it refrigerated at my Mom's its not been touched since we put them there. We did take pictures if needed. Another thing that really bothered me is she made me feel like I'm the one that damaged the cake and didn't take proper care of it, now why on earth would I do that??? I don't know anyone in there right mind who would pay $105.00 for there daughter's first birthday party cake, ruin the cake on purpose just to be in panic about finding another cake???!!!Desired Settlement: I desire to have the amount of the cake $105.00 and the price of the second cake I had to purchase $30.00 if possible.

I would settle for the refund of the damaged cake $105.00

Business

Response:

The customers CAKES 1 a two tier cake with fondant accents and a GIANT cupcake cost as $105.30 including tax. The customer paid a $40.00 deposit and the balance upon pickup on Saturday, March 1"'. The true account of the incident was the customer was to pick the cake up by 1:30pm as I am not open on Saturdays and was there unloading from a previous event. At 1:47pm the customer came in and went straight to the cake which the 2 tier cake was sitting on the table to the right as you came through the door. The giant cupcake was sitting on the table to the left DIRECTLY under the light. She went to the 2-teir cake and exclaimed that the cake was AWESOME and her daughter was going to love it! She then looked at the giant cupcake and told me it was GREATI

I then completed the transaction collecting the balance owed which included tax. I asked when the party was going to be held she told me tomorrow (which would have been Sunday) I told her to keep the cake cool and handle carefully. I also stated that if she would carry the cupcake (was in box but due to size the lid would not completely close) I would carry the 2-tier cake. (this cake was covered in saran wrap due to size no bakery box is made for that size cake) and I do not like anything to leave uncovered. So we place saran wrap LOOSELY around large cakes . I was in her van alongside the cupcake which was next to 2 children.

First of all the giant cupcake was iced at 4AM On Saturday. No icing slid off as she claimed in her call to me, if so she would have seen under the direct light . Secondly, if the fondant Items fell off wouldn't that have happened prior to leaving the store? I've been doing cakes for over 18 years and never have had anything to just slide off especially when the cakes are iced and they form before pickup.

I saw pictures of the cake that she bought as a replacement and it was a true $30 cake, no were near the size and the complexity of the cake she purchased from me. If I felt like something had not happened to the cake like heat, kids stepping or dropping something into the cake, or an unhappy comment WHEN PICKING UP AND PRIOR TO PAYMENT I would amend, but based on comments and truly how the cake looked at the time and how happy she was then I am not inclined to refund at all! I also had 4 other cakes that where delivered/picked up that day and those customers where very well satisfied.

I will also add that my caller id shows calls made to the store was at 2:36pm and 2:47pm on Saturday, just not minutes after pickup.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Cox

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

The last three pictures are from my phone directly after I left her restaurant and parked in the [redacted] parking lot minutes after leaving "4 Seasons" time stamped at 2:00:29PM and 2:00:39PM, this shows the owl falling off. The rest of the pictures were taken as soon as I got to my parents house on my sisters phone not sure the time stamp. You can see the owl falling off, crumbs in the cake, and we tried taking one of the tfinger print but its hard to see cause of all the saran wrap. The cupcake you can see the crack in the icing and its "lopsided". To me these cakes are definitltly not worth the $105.00 we paid for the quality should be better!!

Thanks,

Business

Response:

Second response to Birthday cake. I have enclosed pictures of the two cakes in question. They show the condition of the cakes before leaving the above named business. Nothing falling off, no crumbs and no cracks!.

The cakes were returned to my business approximately 3 weeks after pickup. They were left at the door after business hours.

My pictures speak for how the cake was when the customer picked them up, after they leave my business I am not responsible for what happens to the cake(s). The customer exclaimed that while at the business they were awesome and her daughter was going to love them. She also said previously it was dark. The lights were on and 1 of the cakes were under direct light (giant cupcake), the crack that was in the cupcake when returned would have been easily seen at time of pickup, but if there is no crack then it isn't seeable!

I carried the cake on which the owl was affixed, to the customers vehicle and placed next two children. The owl was still affixed after carrying across the parking lot and placing in the vehicle. What happened after she drove I can not speak for.

The customer received two cakes in acceptable condition upon pickup.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Cox