To be fuming with these selfish customers?

[squashedalmondcroissant]

I work in a cafe and sometimes we put out free samples of cakes etc to give people a taster and obviously try and tempt people into buying a full price piece. No obligation, but that is the general idea, even if they come back another time.

Family comes in, I have a tray of 6 samples out on the counter. They proceed to take ALL the samples for themselves. The samples were plenty big enough to share especially as most of them were very young kids who could have easily had a bite each.

Aibu to be fuming at this? They saw me put them out so they knew that was all I had to give away and they just took them all! This particular family are regulars and I know (and they know) that they had absolutely NO intention of buying any of the cakes. They never do, they have a bit of a reputation for being freeloaders, helping themselves to things they shouldn't and paying for take away and then 'conveniently' changing their minds after they're paid to eat in knowing that they haven't paid the extra charge.

Aibu to just ban them forever? or am I just grumpy after dealing with annoying customers all day

If there were six of them in a family it’s fair that they each had a sample. Each person is a person afterall, even if they are one family. You’re being a snob to think they don’t deserve them. I’m from a big family and experienced similar feelings of disapproval from the public simply because there were so many of us.

Make your samples smaller and put out more with a sign saying one each!

Do a couple of trays of bite size pieces. People are less likely to take a handful that way, especially if they are spread out a bit.

Just because they're free to take, surely it's obvious that they're samples - with the hope that people will then buy a whole slice - rather than just free scran. You don't need the whole family to sample them; I doubt they're all going to buy one each (especially the kids).

This is a bit like when some places put out a tub of Celebrations or Quality Street, especially around Christmastime. Yes, they are 'free' to help yourself, but it's obvious that you don't just dive in and empty out the whole tub.

I might be missing the point here, though, but why do you need free samples of cake? Most people who like cake know what it tastes like, without needing to check first if they like it!

This is very rude and no need for them to take a piece each.
I would remove any samples if they come in again but the best thing to do is to just put out tiny samples.

You have samples of cake around children. Of course they are going to want one each. It's a bite of cake for free.

Either put out lots of small bits for people to try, knowing that when a family enters they are likely to try a piece each, or don't offer samples.

Having a sample big enough "to share" and only a set number per day is an insane system.

Samples are supposed to be "here are some of the delicious things we sell, which you may want to buy at some point." They are not a direct sales tool, they are a temptation to spend time and money in a cafe.

Why is being obvious a problem?

Whip the samples off the counter, faff about, IF they have the brass neck to say anything, you say 'oh im SO sorry, I saw a fly land on that/wasp hovering/someone sneezed on it'... and if they ask for you to cut them free samples 'sorry, we're only allowed to cut x pieces per day...'

Don't be too apologetic in body language, give them a good hard stare, they'll know whats really going on but won't have a leg to stand on to complain about it.

With your update, if it bothers you so much perhaps put 3 samples out in the morning and 3 in the afternoon, so one family can't have them all?

Maybe don’t put all the samples out in one go, especially if they are in the cafe. Most places will put out a small amount at a time.
but yes, they are CFs

This is pretty wild. I used to work a food stall with samples (I was not the owner), I fully expected and encouraged one sample per each person in a family. The kids often provided the biggest push to the parents to buy some if I'm honest. Lots would try and walk by, and that's fine, that's what they were there for. When the samples ran out I would cut some more, I had no limits on these just my own judgement call. Unless customers took more than one sample each I think you are being unreasonable.

Ensure there are large signs up mentioning the price difference between take out/eat in and paying take out but sitting in will incur the additional charge or a penalty. (Bit like a train if you don't pay the proper fare!) Or if the family are a known problem, just charge the eating in rate anyway and if they complain, state that ' we recognise our regulars and pride ourselves on remembering favourite orders'.........or something along those lines.
Or send them to wait outside and take the order out to them.....stating 'as regulars, we like to go the extra mile. You go and enjoy the fresh air/admire the view and I'll pop your order out to you'. Nice and loud so they'll look bad for refusing your kindness!!
If you do get a crappy review, and it's the only one, it will be seen through as vindictive......
Reaccess how free samples are put out.....

I've never heard of a cafe giving samples of cake. I think it's unnecessary. Save the cake for paying customers!!

I’d be annoyed at this too. I’m always too shy to take a sample but I end up buying allllll the cakes that look good 😋
I don’t think I’ve ever gone into a cafe my entire adult life and not bought cake. Plus one or 2 to go

It doesn't help that a lot of people will blame the establishment for VAT charges for eating in - no matter how often you tell them that it's the law and doesn't make you a penny extra yourselves.

It's a bit like the law with supermarket carrier bags - people getting dreadfully offended that the shop dares to still charge them for bags after they've spent so much money there, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the shop legally has to charge them a minimum amount for them. It even seems to affect people who are too young to remember the days of helping yourself to as many free bags as you wanted (albeit the rubbishy thin ones).

Meh if you don’t want people to take free samples then don’t give them out, I ran few food businesses and we often did free samples of cakes/brownies etc. some people would take a few, never bothered me tbh. Also 6 samples is a bit shit, cut them smaller, make more, use common sense.

Instead of putting out samples to share (because what if you’re on your own so no one to share with?) I would cut the samples up into small bite size pieces. They can’t hoover it all up then. If they try to do that, I would say, oh sorry, it’s one per customer.

But she can't. She has t9 cut them a certain size. By Order of the King or something.

instead of putting samples on the counter for people to help themselves - keep the samples behind the counter and offer to each customer.

That way those customers that are freeloaders or have sampled that cake before - don't need to have another sample...

with the added bonus no one can take them all for themselves

I’m in the fair enough for everyone to have a free cake sample per person. The lovely waitresses are so patient at our local cafe. They have an ice cream counter and let the children have a couple of free samples before choosing their flavour. It’s actually quite smart long term as it’d be cheaper for me to take them to the park and bring them an icecream from the freezer at home and bring my own coffee in a to go cup. Instead because it’s been built up to a lovely experience we go to the cafe even when it’s nice before after school activities.

Having a free bit of cake adds to the experience, perhaps it was so nice that next time they will buy some cake to share.

always disappointed in cafe cake as it looks nice but turns out to be over sweet and lacking flavour.

+1 to making the samples tinier.
My local cafe sometimes gives leftover pastries out near the end of the day but in a fairly subtle way to regular customers only. I've also seen cafes do this at random discretion, eg I was behind a lady who was upset about some issue with her car and was clearly having a rubbish week, the staff gave her a free cake and it made me feel more positively about the cafe even though I wasn't the recipient. Worth considering if you don't want everyone to benefit from the freebies!
You can also just tell people they can't sit in if they've not paid for it. Be cheerful but firm - harder if there's obviously plenty of space though.

You only have 6 samples for the whole day? Is it worth it?

I really can’t see the problem with this. If they’re regulars then they keep coming back and spending money, it’s good you treat them well. I’ve worked in hospitality and it’s the regulars you keep sweet! Surely they bought six drinks? That must be near twenty quid they spent. Better regulars eat the free samples, than tourists or non locals who will never come back again. They might go home and tell their granny / neighbour / best mate ‘oooh we had delicious cake in XXXX this afternoon, get down there!’ It’s a free sample! They’re not freeloaders or CFs, it’s free! Six people, a sample each. I would assume you would be bringing out another batch, six samples is not very many.

TBH, I'd never take more than one sample, but equally it would never even occur to me to share a sample, whatever size they are. A sample per person in my mind, so if there were 6 family members and 6 samples, I don't see anything wrong in what they did.

And no one is obliged to buy anything if they had a sample. Maybe they didn't like the cake after trying it?

It’s like that old man at the US Costco who eats the 16 chips & salsa samples or the mini quiche, while everyone else tries 1 or 2 and either buys it or moves on.
There’s always gonna be CF like this.

I think one per person is normal. Make the pieces smaller. I would not ban, but I would challenge if they eat in. Running a business means you have to deal with inconsiderate people. Not worth them posting garbage about you.

Don’t think it would cause you to become bankrupt or the world to stop spinning