What would you do?

I'm so thankful to have such a talented and knowledgable group of bakers to draw from...

I have a client who wants a cake tasting.

Well, the LAST time I had a cake tasting, the bride requested six different cake flavors and five different icings and fillings.  I made them all, had a beautiful platter ready for them, emailed them several times to confirm the date and time, made sure they had directions... and they were a no-show.  No phone call, no email, just NO. SHOW.  All that time and money spent - I was furious.  And that wasn't the first time.  This happened two times before.  You'd think I'd learn...

So, at that point, I instituted a $25 tasting fee that, if the client booked a wedding cake with me, would go toward the cost of the cake.  I thought that was totally reasonable.  Of course, now I'm a member of a wedding resource network that also acts like my own "office" - I can go there and hold tastings or consultations and I've decided that  will do free tastings there, with cakes that I to have on hand.  But if I'm asked to do a special tasting outside of that, I've decided I will charge the fee for those, since they would be outside of my normal four-times-a month "office" appointments.

Now, the fun part is that this new client needs a gluten-free cake.  That's fine, I can do that, but it's a specialty cake, not one that I just have on hand for tastings.  I have to make a special trip to specialty grocery stores and spend much more money on those items.

I email her the appointment info for when I'm at the wedding resource place, and she says they can't do it during the times I normally have tasting appts, can I do it on a day she's off from work?  So, I say sure, we can do that. But then she balks at the tasting fee, saying that she's never heard of that and that she's had such a horrid time finding someone who makes a great gluten-free cake, that she'd rather just have me make them a cake/cupcakes to pick up and taste at home...  I email her back, being honest about my reasons for the tasting fee (the above example), and that I understand her predicament.  I then offer to bake her a 6" round for pick-up, but that I'd have to charge her the same amount I'd charge for any other 6" round, and that if they liked it and booked with me, I'd apply it to their cake order.  If they didn't like it, I would refund their money.

She emailed back, thanking me for my honesty and that she's just going to come for a tasting during my normal appt times (which are the free tastings).  But I STILL have to make this dang specialty, gluten-free cake - for no money!  ARGH!

What would you have done in this situation and how can I learn from this?

Thanks y'all!