Billy's Bakery - Upper West Side — Restaurant in New York

A loyal customer can be lost, if these folks even care? I think not. But they’ve lost me to Empire Cakes from now on. Billy’s in Chelsea had been my go-to for delicious, FRESH cupcakes. I only like a same day baked cupcake. I always made it a point of asking if it was baked fresh that morning. One time I bought a half a dozen, sat down to enjoy one in the shop. After just one bite, I could tell that it wasn’t fresh. Either that or just baked differently than usual? Anyway, it certainly tasted a day or two old - not fresh and springy or moist. The young lady behind the counter was so kind and nice, refunded for the whole thing. No questions asked.

Went in a few weeks later the day after Valentines. Saw some tasty looking red velvet cupcakes, ordered a half a dozen. The gentleman behind the counter was very honest and said they were left over from the day before. I told him I would give one a try, and they were scrumptious.

Went back again a week later, asked the guy (someone I hadn’t met before) if the red velvet cupcakes have been made that morning? He rolled his eyes and said yes, of course. Um, okay. Ordered half a dozen cupcakes. Sat down at the table to eat one, and it was dry, not moist, just not good at all. Certainly not the same as I had come to enjoy.

Respectfully approach the same person behind the counter and explain to him that they were stale, definitely not up to par. I explain that I always order the same cupcakes, so I definitely know how they should be. You would have thought that I was returning a pair of used gym socks that I had used 26 times without washing.

This person looked so disgusted and annoyed - literally started arguing with me that they absolutely they’re from this morning, because Billy’s never, ever sells a cupcake from the day before. Well, I already know that to be untrue. He put his hand on his hip, glared at me and said I don’t know what you want me to do?

Again, with respect, I said, I cannot eat these, they aren’t good. I think a refund would probably be helpful. He replied well I’m not gonna refund you for the one that you already ate - even though it was right there in my hand - only one bite taken out of it. He begrudgingly refunded me for the other five. Never said another word.

Beyond the lousy customer service, just the impossibility of finding Billys cupcakes to be consistent wore me down.

I wandered a few blocks down and bumped into Empire cakes. FANTASTIC red velvet cupcakes with mind shatteringly tangy frosting.

Great customer service!

Don’t bother responding, Billy’s cupcakes, with how I should’ve reached out to customer service. There should be no need to reach out to customer service, your cupcakes should be of a consistent quality and when they’re not, your staff should be accommodating and cool about...

I am very disappointed with the outcome of my purchase for a SURPRISE BIRTHDAY. I purchased an 8” chocolate caramel cake with caramel btw the layers as stated on the website. The recipient received a beautifully packaged STALE DRY COMPLETELY CHOCOLATE CAKE with very little CARAMEL drizzle around the top border that one would think had been sitting around for days. IT WAS HARD AND DRY. Why? Did the ZIP CODE it was delivered to have anything………..I could have purchased several cakes from any SUPERMARKET that TASTE BETTER. You deserve a ZERO rating. I do believe the cake was not professionally made with love but MASS PRODUCED with HATE. CAKE 65.00 DELIVERY 40.00 TIP 10.00. TOTAL 115.00. I could have traveled to WEST ORANGE to SUPREME BAKERY. THE PRICE, TOLLS AND PROFESSIONALLY BAKED CAKE for 115. Unfortunately, I am unable to send photos and it would have upset the recipient. A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE from the COLUMBUS LOCATION and your business

Your order rep. ignored my email stating I did not contact the Columbus Ave. location the next day I did but did not have the time to travel to the location to return it. I called less than 24 hrs also. The staff member chuckled at my complaint told me to call another location to state my complaint again. Why should a dissatisfied customer have to restate a complaint again while trying to pack for a surprise birthday travel destination they were unaware of. I really wish I had the time and energy to reveal the unprofessionalism and poor customer service I received at this time. However, when the opportunity permits I will.

Yes,yes,yes and yes the opportunity arises today Sept. 7th, 2022 and 2 people I know want to purchase a cake from your establishment for an extravagant Birthday party. I am pleased to inform the world I them all my about experience and guess what they decided not to do. Yes guessed it. Not purchase at this bakery. Thank you for the experience I received and I will continue to let anyone I know who inquires about cake or baked goods if any kind your business and my experience. GOD BLESS YOU the stale cakes you sell and the poor customer service...

I’ve attached 2 photos. One are the cupcakes that came out great and were tasty. The other are the ones that came out…not so well. I didn’t notice those because they were packed underneath the good looking ones, which I hope wasn’t intentional. With that said I asked for a refund for those cupcakes and was told “I have to bring them back” -they’re not reusable the photo of how they were given to me should be enough. In addition, we had an egg allergy but the cupcakes were labeled “gluten free” (they were not). Had to call to make sure they did in fact not have egg which they were able to verify over the phone, but not with the level of confidence that you want with an allergy. At the end of this discussion with Billy’s I was pretty annoyed about the “return them for refund” and while telling my wife “we shouldn’t buy here again” the Billy’s rep must have heard and taken offense because she hung up on me without a word. I don’t think I was rude although definitely irritated. This does conclude our business relationship though that’s for sure.

Update: Billy’s says they reviewed “surveillance footage” to confirm they left the facility intact. It’s impressive that the surveillance footage was able to see through the pre-packed bag with the good cupcakes on the top and the bad ones on the bottom. Let’s assume that these X-ray surveillance cameras did, in fact, see the cupcakes leave in fine shape. This means that they were so poorly packaged that they became ruined while the properly packaged ones were not. Whether it was poor packaging that let them get ruined or you delivered them in the bad state, you did wrong to your customer. Take some responsibility as a business owner, with a customer service mindset and find a way to make it right.

I suppose there’s a third option which is that I am the cupcake grinch and take pleasure in taking perfectly good cupcakes, ruining half of them and then sullying the good reputation of legitimate cupcake manufactures. We should look at more surveillance footage, maybe that will reveal my true...