AITA for leaving a bad review after my cake order was canceled and u was reimbursed with a grocery store gift card?
Imagine the excitement of planning a milestone birthday, the centerpiece a custom chocolate cake shaped like a record player, ready to wow your mom on her 60th. That’s what Sarah envisioned when she hired a local home baker, confirming every detail and paying $100 upfront. But the morning of the big day, a text from the baker shatters her plans: the cake’s canceled, and all she gets is a Sobeys gift card—later revealed to be empty.
Furious but resourceful, Sarah scrambles to buy a Dairy Queen cake, selling the gift card for $80. She leaves an honest, scathing review of the baker’s unprofessionalism, only to face pushback from the baker, who claims the issue was resolved. Was Sarah wrong to air her grievance publicly, or did the baker’s flop deserve the spotlight? This Reddit tale dives into the sticky mess of customer service gone wrong.
‘AITA for leaving a bad review after my cake order was canceled and u was reimbursed with a grocery store gift card?’
A canceled order on the day of a major event is a customer service nightmare. Sarah’s frustration with the baker’s last-minute cancellation and inadequate refund—a possibly regifted, empty Sobeys gift card—is understandable. Business expert Barbara Corcoran notes, “Trust is the currency of small businesses; one misstep can tank your reputation” (Shark Tank Insights). The baker’s failure to deliver, coupled with poor communication and a non-negotiable “refund,” breached that trust.
This situation highlights a broader issue: the fragility of small business credibility. A 2023 Yelp study found 60% of consumers avoid businesses with multiple negative reviews about reliability (Yelp). Sarah’s review was honest, reflecting a real grievance, which is the purpose of review platforms. The baker’s claim that a gift card resolved the issue ignores Sarah’s inconvenience and loss.
Sarah’s decision to sell the gift card and buy a replacement cake was practical, but pursuing small claims court, as mentioned, could escalate tensions. Instead, she might update her review with the empty gift card detail, keeping it factual.
These are the responses from Reddit users:
Reddit’s got takes as rich as chocolate frosting—here’s what they said about Sarah’s cake catastrophe:
![[Reddit User] - NTA. You paid for a product that you didn’t receive, and a gift card to a store not of your choosing is not an acceptable refund. She notified you the day of the event that your cake would not be ready,](https://en.aubtu.biz/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/297191c-10.png)
![[Reddit User] - NTA This is exactly why reviews exist.](https://en.aubtu.biz/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/297191c-12.png)
From slamming the baker’s unprofessionalism to cheering Sarah’s review, Reddit’s opinions are piping hot. But do they serve up justice, or just whip up more drama?
Sarah’s bad review was a stand for accountability, but the baker’s pushback shows not everyone takes criticism well. Was she right to call out the flop publicly, or should she have let it slide? Have you ever dealt with a last-minute service letdown? Share your stories—what would you do when a business leaves you high and dry on a special day?
