Custom Cake Order Intake Checklist
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Every detail to collect and confirm before you accept a custom cake order, from the event date to the deposit and the written confirmation.

[ ] Customer name, phone number and the contact method they actually check
[ ] Event date, and whether the cake needs to be ready the day before
[ ] Pickup or delivery, with the full address and a one-hour window
[ ] Number of servings, and whether they mean party slices or wedding slices
[ ] Cake shape, number of tiers and rough size, or a note that sizing is left to you
[ ] Flavor for each tier, written per tier rather than for the whole cake
[ ] Filling for each tier, including none if that is the answer
[ ] Frosting type: buttercream, fondant, ganache or a combination
[ ] Allergens for the guest of honor and the guests, asked explicitly, with none recorded as a real answer
[ ] Dietary needs such as gluten free, dairy free or vegan, and whether it must be strict or is a preference
[ ] Your kitchen limitations restated to the customer, such as shared equipment or nuts on the premises
[ ] Design description in the customer's own words, not your paraphrase
[ ] At least one reference photo attached, with a note on what to copy and what to change
[ ] Colors captured as a photo, swatch or hex code rather than a color name
[ ] Exact inscription text, spelling and capitalization checked letter by letter
[ ] Toppers, figures, fresh flowers or other non-edible items, and who is supplying each one
[ ] Occasion, theme and age of the guest of honor, so the design reads right
[ ] Budget range, optional, so you can steer the design instead of surprising the customer
[ ] Lead time checked against your minimum notice, with the rush fee applied if it applies
[ ] Calendar checked for the pickup date and the two days before it, not just the pickup day
[ ] Quote sent from your written price structure, with a date the quote expires
[ ] Deposit amount, payment method and due date agreed and recorded
[ ] Written confirmation sent that restates every detail above in one place
[ ] Customer reply received confirming the confirmation is correct
[ ] Order added to the production calendar with the hands-on hours blocked off