I heard on Radio 2 today that restaurants are starting to charge “cakeage” and it could be anything like £6 per person which is what the Modern Pantry in Clerkenwell charge. Are you kidding me?
People have been bringing cakes to birthday dinners and normally, the waiter would bring out the cake with candles and even join in to sing “Happy Birthday”. Now some restaurants are asking you to pay them for serving the cake. If you had a party of ten people at the Modern Pantry it could cost you £60 to eat the cake that you bought. The restaurant didn’t even have to make it. It wouldn’t be so absurd if it was £2 for the whole cake but to charge per person seems like the restaurant is ripping off its customers.
A caller into the programme experienced being charged £2 spoonage because she asked for an extra spoon to share a dessert with her husband. Surely restaurants should be finding ways of attracting customers not fleecing those that dine at their establishments.
I think I will be checking with the restaurant in future if there is a charge for bringing my own birthday cake as I don’t want to be landed a £60 bill for eating a cake that I bought.
Bunty