Jun30

let (a few of) them eat cake!

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Standard


when reading the day’s news online

there were the expected headlines/updates/graphs:

scotus decision

virus numbers updates

calls for mayor’s resignation

protest marches continue

doctors’ opinions

iran’s decision

cruise ship passengers awaiting refunds

election polls

presidential tweets

to wear a mask or not?

europe’s reopening

and then in huge letters:

COSTCO STOPS SELLING HALF-SHEET CAKES

what?

why is this a story?

why is this a bigger-font-size-worthy story?

what is the story?

here’s the story and it’s an odd logic.:

—

The past few months have been chaotic for Costco customers, with product shortages, long lines and the temporary elimination of free food samples. Now, it appears there’s another change for devoted shoppers: Costco has eliminated the iconic half-sheet cakes that are the centerpiece of graduation and birthday parties.

Costco has quietly stopped selling the $20 half-sheet cakes across its US stores for the past month, instead pointing people toward its 10-inch round cakes and other assorted baked goods.

“To help limit personal contact and create more space for social distancing, Costco has reduced service in some departments,” the company explained to outraged customers on its Facebook account. 

Costco confirmed to CNN Business it’s not selling the half-sheet cakes anymore and it has “no immediate plans” to bring it back. A spokesperson added that its 10-inch round cakes “seem to be resonating with our members.”

The decision also coincides with a recommendation from several US states and health agencies to avoid or prohibit large gatherings in light of Covid-19. Half-sheet cakes feeds around 50 people, while its 10-inch round cake serves around a dozen.

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my interpretation: apparently the thought is that if you don’t have a big cake, you will not have a big celebration, where people will gather around the big cake in a big group. if you have more pieces of cake, you will then invite more people to go with it. what if you just bought a few round cakes, couldn’t you invite the same amount of people and just cut from the round cakes, or would that discourage you from inviting more guests as you’d have to then open more than one box? what about people just deciding to socially distance themselves without the cake being the deciding factor? just wondering, or is this that devil math at play once again? does it come down to having to match ratios, person to piece, and not have any leftover cake to eat for breakfast? i  knew i should have listened in school. 

—

“cake is happiness! If you know the way of the cake, you know the way of happiness!

If you have a cake in front of you, you should not look any further for joy!”

-c. joyBell c.

 

 

 

—

credits: cnn business

73 responses »

  2. This is an odd choice for them to make. If they think people can’t have a large gathering simply because they can’t purchase a large cake, then I do not know how to help them. There is no logic in their thinking. As for the news worthiness, well that is our news lately. Sadly misfocused! Great post, Beth!

    Liked by 5 people

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  7. I guess they would call this Sweet Logic. Our local bakeries can outdo Costco any day. Maybe not cost wise lol but the saying goes, You get what you pay for. Tis a better story than asking for a mayor’s retirement. I enjoyed the read.

    Liked by 4 people

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  11. I can see this can backfire quite quickly – This could solve the never ending fight: the chocolate cake people against the strawberry and cream cake people. If you get one big cake, one side of the guests will be disappointed, but if you can have two small cakes you can get a chocolate one and a strawberry one – so everybody is happy, and according to this logic you will have more people coming over to enjoy the cake(s)!

    Liked by 4 people

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  14. Perhaps they believe they will sell more round cakes and make more money that way. Everything comes down to economics, after all. It’s not longer, “give the people what they want,” it’s more like, “how much can we get from the people,” now days.

    Liked by 2 people

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  17. This is just too..funny…possibly because I watched a (maskless) woman in a pretty dress and heels load food for about 60 people into the back of her car at the local Mexican restaurant last Saturday. I wonder what she did for dessert..

    Liked by 3 people

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  19. I like your interpretation, Beth. How this qualifies as front-page news with all that is going on in the world is the real mystery? My favorite part of the story was the line “the company explained to its outraged customers.” I literally laughed out loud at that. What an outrage! My advice is for people to get “outraged” at something that matters.

    Liked by 4 people

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  25. SO much to say about this. Oddly. Maybe that’s the point of the news people reporting it. If people complain about it then others can complain about the complainers and don’t they have something more important to complain about. Which will make some sad that they can’t just be sad about a cake, feeling invalidated. Some will be sad that things have gotten to the point they can’t just go to the store and buy a cake without it being a big deal or being told what they can and can’t do by even the cake makers. Some will wonder wth all the fuss is about …it’s just a cake. Some will use it to make a commentary about life, the USA, people, priorities…. Some will wonder why the news people make the decisions they make. Some will come up with better comments than this one. 😂

    Liked by 3 people

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  26. Hi Beth! I must say it appears that I definitely missed the math in school! LOL Cake is my favorite food group (and it’s a bit of a *grin* joke in my family.) Give me cake and I’m happy; sheet size, 1/2 sheet, no sheet!! LOL Cher xo

    Liked by 4 people

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  27. Leftover cake is good! Throw a slice in the freezer, and when it’s frozen, it’s ready! DO NOT THAW!

    I get it, though! Each individual, company or business is either part of the solution, or part of the ongoing problem.

    We are sick of the virus, but the virus is not tired of making us sick!

    Liked by 3 people

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  29. I have been to that big box store in over a year but golly, what if I want a big cake for big leftovers. Who needs to share a sheet cake. That’s what freezers are for now. 🙂 Maybe it’s a new diet technique but it won’t help either. How it made headlines is beyond me too. Thanks for making me laugh.

    Liked by 4 people

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