From graduation parties to summer barbecues, hosting an event for friends and family is a time consuming effort. One of the bigger things that is taking up your time is how you’re feeding people at your gathering. If you don’t have time (or the drive) to cook for that many people, you’re probably looking at catering, but how do you decide which place to hire? When it comes to baked goods, there are two options: a local bakery and a chain bakery.
Local Bakery Perks
Better Ingredients
While it may seem counterintuitive given the size of a local bakery and the rising cost of ingredients, local bakeries often use better ingredients in their recipes. This is because everything is made locally and often on the day of sale. Chain bakeries often have their goods made off-site, at least partially, and shipped in to sell. This means they have to use ingredients that will travel and keep well, which aren’t always the best-tasting ones.
Personalized Service
Local bakeries are built on customer relationships. Without the name recognition that chain bakeries have, word of mouth is the best way for local bakeries to grow their customer base. This also means that local bakeries are more likely to work with you to make your order exactly what you want. Where chain bakeries are confined to certain corporate-approved offerings, most local bakeries will work with you to reach exactly what you want, even if that isn’t always what is on the menu.
Local Economy
As in any industry, supporting a small business is great for your local economy. Small businesses create jobs, provide unique services, and often donate to local charities. Instead of your well-earned dollars going into the pockets of corporate overlords, they go to people local to your community. That money stays in your area, circulating amongst the other local businesses as well, making your area a great place to live.
Chain Bakery Perks
Consistency
Chain bakeries have corporate-approved recipes that are used across all store locations. This means, when you purchase one of their cakes, you know what you’re getting (assuming the employee didn’t screw up). With local bakeries, you don’t always know what you’re getting. Maybe you like your cakes light and airy, and they make theirs dense and moist. That doesn’t mean their cakes are bad. It just means they aren’t what you’re looking for. With a chain bakery, you don’t have that problem.
Price
Chain bakeries are usually cheaper than local bakeries because they have the ability to be. Ingredients are bought at a much larger scale than their local counterparts due to them often being made at a warehouse to be sold at all stores in a certain region. This leads them to being able to offer their goods at a lower price point. While the quality of food might not be as great as that of a local bakery, the desserts are tasty and are great for people on a budget.
Faster Service
While a chain bakery’s strict corporate policies may not allow them to personalize your order as much as you would like them to, they do have one thing that sets them apart. Speed of service. Because there aren’t many personalized items on your order, the chain bakery knows exactly how to make what you want and how to do it in the time you need them to. If you’re on a time crunch, a local bakery is probably your best bet.
