Birthday celebrations are rarely complete without cake, and one of the places you can have a cheekly slice (or two) is your favourite restaurant.

But some Australian diners are learning this custom now comes at a price, with a growing number of eateries charging controversial 'cakeage' fees.

You read that right, members—there is such a word as cakeage. According to Merriam-Webster, cakeage refers to the fee restaurants charge their customers when they bring their own cake instead of purchasing one in-house (if there is any available).

Recently, Perth resident Jules Rangiheuea vented her frustration after several Sydney restaurants told her they would charge $10 per head for her group to enjoy their own cake.

Some restaurants charge a cakeage fee when customers bring their own cakes. Credit: Paréj Richárd/Unsplash

She took to social media asking, 'Since when did we start charging absolutely criminal prices to have cake at a restaurant?'

While cakeage fees are not new, the practice does seem to be spreading just as prices are going up.

‘I feel like the $10-per-head cakeage is a new thing too... I’m so confused, especially the cost of living. Like people are only going out [to restaurants] to celebrate and a lot of celebrations include cake,’ she added.

‘We actually brought a cake to (another) restaurant and they told us that we couldn’t have it unless we all wanted to pay a $5-per-head surcharge to have the cake that we brought,’ Jules recalled.

Her video, now apparently deleted, was viewed 24,000 times.

Some argue that the cakeage helps cover costs like storage, cutting utensils, dishwashing, and staff time. It also offsets dessert sales the restaurant would have made.

'I'm a chef and restaurant owner. [...] Since I started my apprenticeship at 14 there has always been a cakeage fee...in fine dining restaurants,' said one commenter shared.

Another wrote: ‘Cakeage is fair and makes sense when you consider you want the staff to serve you and use the cutlery and plate which will need washing up! And napkins.’

‘It’s the fridge sizing; it’s the cutting, the serving, the washing of plates and cutlery. $10 is excessive but I do understand a charge,’ a third person stated.

‘Cakeage is actually pretty standard. It’s not only serving, storage etc but it’s loss of revenue for you bringing in your own. Same as corkage,’ a fourth social media user explained.

Jules wondered: ‘Do you think if we brought our own paper plates, forks and knife for the cake we could still eat it without any charge at the restaurant?’

Ultimately, it’s up to the establishment if they want to charge cakeage. If you plan to celebrate in one soon, it might be prudent to ask the restaurant first so you won’t be shocked when the bill comes back.

Key Takeaways

• A diner from Perth expressed her frustration over a restaurant in Sydney charging her guests a $10 cakeage fee to bring their cake to a birthday dinner.
  
• The cakeage fee was for a waiter to cut and plate up the cake, which the diner felt was excessive, as it was the third restaurant she had visited that had a similar charge.
  
• A video venting her frustration has been viewed more than 24,000 times, with many explaining the cakeage fee—fridge sizing, the cutting and serving, washing of plates and cutlery, and loss of revenue for the restaurant.
  
• Despite the explanations, the diner felt that a $10 per person cakeage fee was high and questioned if she could avoid the charge by bringing her paper plates, forks and knife for the cake.
  

What are your thoughts on cakeage, members? Would you pay $10 per head to bring and eat your cake to a restaurant? Let us know in the comments below!

 

[marni]

Birthday celebrations are rarely complete without cake, and one of the places you can have a cheekly slice (or two) is your favourite restaurant.

But some Australian diners are learning this custom now comes at a price, with a growing number of eateries charging controversial 'cakeage' fees.

You read that right, members—there is such a word as cakeage. According to Merriam-Webster, cakeage refers to the fee restaurants charge their customers when they bring their own cake instead of purchasing one in-house (if there is any available).

Recently, Perth resident Jules Rangiheuea vented her frustration after several Sydney restaurants told her they would charge $10 per head for her group to enjoy their own cake.

View attachment 33129

Some restaurants charge a cakeage fee when customers bring their own cakes. Credit: Paréj Richárd/Unsplash

She took to social media asking, 'Since when did we start charging absolutely criminal prices to have cake at a restaurant?'

While cakeage fees are not new, the practice does seem to be spreading just as prices are going up.

‘I feel like the $10-per-head cakeage is a new thing too... I’m so confused, especially the cost of living. Like people are only going out [to restaurants] to celebrate and a lot of celebrations include cake,’ she added.

‘We actually brought a cake to (another) restaurant and they told us that we couldn’t have it unless we all wanted to pay a $5-per-head surcharge to have the cake that we brought,’ Jules recalled.

Her video, now apparently deleted, was viewed 24,000 times.

Some argue that the cakeage helps cover costs like storage, cutting utensils, dishwashing, and staff time. It also offsets dessert sales the restaurant would have made.

'I'm a chef and restaurant owner. [...] Since I started my apprenticeship at 14 there has always been a cakeage fee...in fine dining restaurants,' said one commenter shared.

Another wrote: ‘Cakeage is fair and makes sense when you consider you want the staff to serve you and use the cutlery and plate which will need washing up! And napkins.’

‘It’s the fridge sizing; it’s the cutting, the serving, the washing of plates and cutlery. $10 is excessive but I do understand a charge,’ a third person stated.

‘Cakeage is actually pretty standard. It’s not only serving, storage etc but it’s loss of revenue for you bringing in your own. Same as corkage,’ a fourth social media user explained.

Jules wondered: ‘Do you think if we brought our own paper plates, forks and knife for the cake we could still eat it without any charge at the restaurant?’

Ultimately, it’s up to the establishment if they want to charge cakeage. If you plan to celebrate in one soon, it might be prudent to ask the restaurant first so you won’t be shocked when the bill comes back.

Key Takeaways

• A diner from Perth expressed her frustration over a restaurant in Sydney charging her guests a $10 cakeage fee to bring their cake to a birthday dinner.
• The cakeage fee was for a waiter to cut and plate up the cake, which the diner felt was excessive, as it was the third restaurant she had visited that had a similar charge.
• A video venting her frustration has been viewed more than 24,000 times, with many explaining the cakeage fee—fridge sizing, the cutting and serving, washing of plates and cutlery, and loss of revenue for the restaurant.
• Despite the explanations, the diner felt that a $10 per person cakeage fee was high and questioned if she could avoid the charge by bringing her paper plates, forks and knife for the cake.

What are your thoughts on cakeage, members? Would you pay $10 per head to bring and eat your cake to a restaurant? Let us know in the comments below!

What a whinge Been paying corkage for your own bottle of booze What is different? Vote with your feet or do the right thing and order dessert for the same price