Rant- Cupcake Royale

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  • #591751

    saney
    Member

    first, i’ll get this out of the way…yes, i did voice this complaint to the only employees working before i left the store…response: a shrug and insincere “sorry”. i will also email them again (i have complained via email once before without any response.

    today is july 31. today is the last day to buy their cupcake of the month. i have tried 3 times this month to taste this thing. 3 times, i have been unsuccessful.

    yesterday, i went in at 5pm. THREE hours before they close and there was a limited selection of cupcakes for purchase….and not one of their monthly cupcake special. when i said something, the cashier said that i should come in early in the morning if i want to try it. what? do they not realize that people might like to stop in after work?

    the second time in july that i tried to get this elusive strawberry cupcake, i went in one hour before closing and they had NO CUPCAKES available.

    i understand that they dont want to have to throw them out, but if i make a special trip to have a cupcake, they should have some available. if they made a batch in the afternoon and had leftovers, they could sell them first thing the next morning. they would be less than a day old.

    it is increasingly difficult to find free parking in the junction. i will no longer make these special trips down there to specifically patronize cupcake royale….because i dont know if they will even have cupcakes for sale.

    #673428

    JoB
    Participant

    saney…

    it’s just a cupcake… with a limited time offer…

    but you are right, if their cupcake of the month generally isn’t available past mid morning… then they aren’t doing much to attract afternoon business with them if they don’t make a larger supply… :)

    it’s good to feel passionate about something.. even if it is a new cupcake :)

    #673429

    flowerpetal
    Member

    It would be difficult for me to be passionate at all for baked items from Cupcake Royale. I can’t understand how they survive. I hope you find a better replacement Saney.

    #673430

    JoB
    Participant

    So what would a good replacement be for a low cost higher quality indulgence?

    inquiring palates want to know :->

    #673431

    JanS
    Participant

    Coffee To A Tea across and down the street has better cakes…or leave the peninsula and go to Trophy cupcakes in Wallingford…yummmmm…

    #673432

    Lowery
    Member

    “…what do you mean there’s no straw-freakin-berry cupcakes left?!? Serenity Now…Serenity Now!!!”

    #673433

    flowerpetal
    Member

    The Original Bakery comes to mind. But JoB, you’re a cook… I’m guessing that your a better cupcake maker thank C.R.

    #673434

    charlabob
    Participant

    Coffee to a Tea, indeed; we gave up on CR when they first opened for the same reason; how can you be out of cupcakes two hours before you close? I’m sorry to see nothing has changed, but happy for C2T.

    #673435

    saney
    Member

    JoB. I realize it is just a cupcake. but it is annoying to drive down there specifically for something, find a parking space and then walk from the Oregon end of the junction in the heat and then not get what you went out of your way for.

    they could bake extra and then sell the leftovers in the morning for a bit less. (or have a special for “Half day old cupcake and a cup of coffee” for people catching the busses into downtown).

    i love their red velvet cupcakes, but those sell out quickly as well.

    if i am in the junction for other reasons and happen to walk by, i might go in. but no more trips to the juction for them specifically.

    #673436

    JenV
    Member

    it’s not that much to expect a place called CUPCAKE Royale to actually have CUPCAKES for sale, fer crissakes.

    I personally don’t go there, ever since I tried to pick up a dozen cupcakes for a work meeting one morning and was quoted a price of $50. they can take a flying leap at a rolling donut. heh heh.

    oh, and I have seen people get “passionate” over much less on this blog. It’s not nice to belittle someone for a legitimate complaint.

    #673437

    JoB
    Participant

    JenV…

    and i thought you liked me:(

    I had no intent to belittle.. i thought i was gently chiding… did you miss all of the smiley faces?

    I don’t use smiles as cover for insults. When i belittle someone i do so with full intent and no cover.

    I suspect that is why i have had some of my posts removed:(

    Saney…

    If i drove down to the junction to get a specific cupcake at cupcake Royale and it wasn’t there i would be pretty ticked too…

    I wouldn’t drive to the junction for a cupcake… even at Coffe to a tea… though i have had their cupcakes and they are good…

    i think i have been in Cupcake Royale twice and we left the second time because it was too noisy and the staff too indifferent… so it wouldn’t be my first choice.

    but i do drive to White Center to get ice cream at Full Tilt and i am sorely disappointed if i walk in the door and he is out of Mexican Chocolate…

    It is clear they are losing loyal customers by not delivering on their promotions…

    perhaps they will read this and take appropriate action. If you like their cupcakes enough to make a special trip for them, i hope they respond by making the special special enough to be available for more customers. It’s happened before :)

    In the meantime, you might write the owners a letter letting them know how disappointed you are that you have been unable to taste their specials even though you make an effort to stop by on your way home from work. My guess is that they make an effort to keep a loyal customer.

    If they don’t, your loyalty is misplaced and you will find parking behind Coffee to a tea and an old fashioned customer reward box on the counter.

    I meant it when i said it was good to be passionate about something.. even a cupcake ;-)

    edit…

    i missed that you had emailed them with no success. it is unlikely a letter would get more response, but you never know. some businesses aren’t as good responding to their email as they are to the mail…

    either way… i hope you get a free cupcake out of this:)

    i would be happy to buy you one myself if we can do it some place other than Cupcake Royale… i appreciate your loyalty but I am not a fan.

    Maybe we could arrange a cupcake forum meet-up :) That has so many intriguing possibilities…

    #673438

    bluebird
    Member

    I gave the Ballard store one try and the WS store one try. Blech! Dry and flavorless. I can not fathom why they are still in business at $4 a pop. They have a great logo/name and idea. That’s it. There is no mystery to a good cupcake and icing. The fact that someone who specializes in them, can’t master the process is inexcusable.

    And if you refuse to provide your product for the duration of advertised hours (on a regular basis), you shouldn’t be open.

    #673439

    Gina
    Participant

    Metropolitan Market sells Cupcake Royale cupcakes, they have a bigger supply than the Junction shop. Flavor of the month cupcake is there, too. They sell them in 4 packs in pink box, or at the bakery counter you can pick up singles.

    #673440

    pam
    Member

    I generally only go there when I have a coupon from the entertainment book BUT I did have one of the strawberry cupcakes you are writing about when we were at the Streetfair, the frosting was delicious!

    #673441

    JoB
    Participant

    I love this forum..

    you ask and someone knows where or how to get what you want…

    i need a couple of teens or strong bodies of any age to exchange furniture in two adjoining rooms… because of an error in judgement about whether or not we would need an a/c unit in Seattle:( who knew?

    and yes, i expect to pay them:)

    anyone have recommendations ?

    Great business opportunity for someone.. grandkids for hire… too many of us without families nearby need to a little help now and then:(

    #673442

    villagegreen
    Member

    It’s just like Shoofly Pie, sometimes they’re out of the pie you want and so you get something different – it’s all good. If you’re dead set on knowing whether they have a specific cupcake flavor in stock, try giving them a call: 206-932-2971.

    #673443

    bsmomma
    Participant

    I have been there several times hours before closing to find out they’re OUT OF CUPCAKES? Huh? That’s like going to a coffee place and having them tell you we’re out of cofee. I agree about selling any left overs 1st thing in the morning. Even offering them at a discount. Wouldn’t you rather atleast make back what it cost to make and get a new customer than make no money and have a disgruntled potential customer? I personally think the cupcakes at PCC (I forget the bakery that makes & delivers them) are AMAZING! So moist and the frosting is thick and creamy. Yummmmmm!

    #673444

    WSMom
    Participant
    #673445

    sld
    Member

    You can make your own –

    Strawberry Cupcakes

    INGREDIENTS:

    • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

    • ½ cup cake flour (not self-rising)

    • 1 T. baking powder

    • 1 tsp. salt

    • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

    • 2 ¼ cups sugar

    • 1 ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

    • 3 large whole eggs, plus 1 egg white

    • 1 cup milk

    • 2 cups finely chopped fresh strawberries (about 20), plus about 10 more for garnish

    • Strawberry Meringue Buttercream

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together

    both flours, baking powder, and salt.

    With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Add whole eggs and the white, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk, and beating until well combined. Fold in chopped strawberries by hand.

    Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each ¾ full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through until golden and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto rack and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature in airtight containers.

    To finish, fill a pastry bag with a large open-star tip (Wilton #8B) with buttercream. Pipe buttercream onto each cupcake, swirling tip and releasing as you pull to form a peak. Just before serving, thinly slice remaining strawberries, and tuck a few pieces into buttercream.

    #673446

    JenV
    Member

    I’ll have to remember next time I insult someone I call it “chiding” and be sure and add lots of smiley faces. :) :) :) see, that feels much better when you add smileys!

    #673447

    JoB
    Participant

    WSMom

    ok, ok…

    so maybe the meet-up should be at Cafe Royale instead…

    i believe in putting my money where my mouth is and a cupcake is a cupcake…

    FYI… if i bought cupcakes.. i would pay an extra 25cents each to insure that the employees got quality health care…

    saney…

    it looks as though the owner has been too busy lately to respond to her email… that’s a good thing for those who need quality health care at an affordable price..

    but not for an unhappy customer.

    #673448

    JW
    Participant

    Am I going to side with someone who has the time and money to try to track down a specific cupcake (and complain about it very publicly)… OR am I going to side with a small-business owner who is actively trying to make a difference for the health/welfare of her employees and healthcare in general on a national level (heard the NPR piece this AM… she went to the White House for crissakes!).

    The silly complaints are just that… silly. Maybe we should do more to (diplomatically) support local businesses?

    #673449

    feefeelarue
    Member

    Go to Eats Market Cafe the cupcakes there are totally scrumptious. I wish Trophy would come to WS they have the best ever!!

    #673450

    datamuse
    Participant

    Maybe we should do more to (diplomatically) support local businesses?

    How does one do that once they are out of product?

    I sympathize with the owner’s concerns, but she’s hardly the only one.

    #673451

    JW
    Participant

    datamuse… you simply don’t use this kind of very public forum to complain… I seriously doubt they’ve been out of cupcakes on a regular basis. Why not give them the benefit of the doubt and go to talk to the owner rather than post here (or wait for a response to the e-mail complaint)… sorry, but this is the kind of topic that makes me want to give up reading these Forums forever; people with (IMO) very petty complaints (A STRAWBERRY CUPCAKE) have the power to deal a serious blow to a small business, when no one can be sure the original story is accurate…

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