15 Things To Know Before Ordering Cakes From Walmart In 2023

Hey there! As an ecommerce expert who has ordered cakes for lots of birthday parties and special events over the years, I wanted to share my insider tips on ordering from the Walmart bakery. Walmart offers an underrated cake ordering experience combining customization, convenience, and affordability.

While Walmart won‘t replace your local beloved bakery for once-in-a-lifetime events, its cakes are surprisingly delightful. Here‘s what you should know:

1. Walmart Sells a Shocking Number of Affordable Cakes

With over 4,700 Walmart locations in the U.S. equipped with bakeries, Walmart has become one of the top cake providers in the country. They sell millions of cakes every year for birthdays, weddings, and everything in between. The appeal? Tasty cakes with customized designs at budget-friendly price points. Their buying power means cake ingredients are sourced cheaply.

2. Prices Range from $10 – $70+ for All Event Sizes

Walmart‘s cake prices typically run from $10 for a small round up to $70+ for tiered event cakes. Here‘s a quick pricing breakdown:

• 6-inch round (serves 6-8): $10 – $15
• 1/4 sheet cake (serves 15-20): $17 – $25
• 8-inch round (serves 10-15): $15 – $22
• 1/2 sheet cake (serves 30-35): $35 – $45
• Wedding cakes (tiered serving 50-100): $68 – $100+

Compared to grocery store chains, Walmart offers better prices than Kroger and Safeway, but is pricier than Costco. Local bakeries have high quality but are 2-3x pricier. Walmart strikes a nice balance.

3. Order Well in Advance for Custom Designs

I recommend placing your Walmart cake order at least 24 hours in advance for any customizations like writing, colors, decorations. For extra assurance, 3-5 days notice is even better in case of any supply issues or bakery staffing shortages. Trust me, you don‘t want to be left empty-handed!

For wedding cakes, give the bakery 3-8 weeks lead time. Walmart‘s supply chain is a well-oiled machine, but give them breathing room for your big day.

4. The Best Part is Designing Your Cake Online

Walmart has an easy online cake order form where you can customize everything about your cake – size, flavors, frosting, decorations, colors, and add a personalized message. You can even submit inspirational photos.

I love envisioning my cake design beforehand. It makes pickup day even more exciting since your creation comes to life.

5. Quality Varies, So Inspect Cakes Closely Before Leaving

There can be considerable variability in decoration quality since each Walmart bakery has unique staff. Before picking up your cake, inspect it to ensure it matches your order and meets expectations. Check for messy writing, colors, uneven decoration placement, etc.

If anything looks off, politely ask them to remedy it or remake the cake. You‘re paying for a customized cake, so don‘t accept subpar results.

6. Walmart‘s Secret Ingredients? Preservatives and Stabilizers

How does Walmart offer porous sponge cakes with sturdy icing that maintain freshness for days? Ingredients like preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilizers, and gums strengthen the cake and slow staling.

This allows the cakes to be mass-produced and distributed across thousands of stores. It‘s food science at work!

7. For Best Results, Set Clear Expectations with the Bakery

Miscommunications often ruin custom cakes. When ordering, carefully specify every cake detail in writing. Provide inspiration photos. Reiterate special instructions. And politely request the most artistic bakery staff member be assigned.

This level of upfront communication prevents headaches down the road. Always better to over-specify than under-specify!

8. Walmart Has Exclusive Licensing Deals for Character Cakes

Every kid‘s dream is a Spiderman or Elsa cake! Walmart can make it happen through licenses from Disney, Marvel, Hasbro, and more. No other grocery store has such character cake selection.

These licenses likely took years of deal-making and millions in royalties given the brand value. So take advantage of Walmart‘s negotiating power!

9. Online Ordering Removes the Bakery Counter Headache

Skipping the bakery counter line is reason enough to order Walmart cakes online. No forms to fill out by hand or unclear communications with the staff. The online form captures all cake details.

Ecommerce to the rescue – ordering online saves so much time and confusion. A small thing that improves the experience.

10. Need Party Supplies? Walmart Has All Your One-Stop Needs.

Once your cake is ordered, grab everything else you need for the party in one Walmart trip – decorations, balloons, candles, banners, plates, etc. Walmart is a party planning paradise with all the essentials. Plus you can order online and do curbside pickup.

Get in and out quickly without running to 3+ stores. Now that‘s efficiency!

11. Satisfaction Guaranteed, or Your Money Back

Walmart offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all cakes. If yours has errors, damage, or you simply don‘t like it, you can get a full refund by returning to the store.

You have to actually consume some of the cake first 😂, but Walmart‘s return policy gives peace of mind if anything goes awry.

12. Be Reasonable for the Price Point

Walmart cakes may not have the ornate flowers and intricate piping as a high-end bakery. But for the affordable cost, their custom cakes are impressively on-target.

Go in with reasonable expectations for the price paid, and you‘ll be delighted with your Walmart cake purchase. Some imperfections are likely, but overall they deliver the fun customized design you want.

13. Take Advantage of Weekly Sales and Coupons

Walmart often discounts bakery items each week or offers $5 or $10 off coupons periodically. Before ordering, check their weekly ad or site for any cake sales or coupons to maximize your savings.

Every dollar counts, and who says you can‘t save on your cake too? The savings add up, especially for large parties and events.

14. Need Lots of Cakes? Ask About Bulk Order Discounts

For birthdays with lots of classes or large events, don‘t be shy to ask Walmart about any bulk order discounts on sheet cakes. Most stores will happily negotiate on pricing for large orders.

You can potentially save 20%+ off normal prices if you‘re flexible on flavors. A little pro tip for you!

15. Enjoy Convenience and Customization at a Fair Cost

At the end of the day, Walmart cakes offer the holy trifecta: convenience, customization, and affordability. While local bakeries will provide premium quality, Walmart satisfies your party needs at a fair cost.

Next time you‘re planning an event, consider giving the Walmart bakery a try. Follow these tips, and your guests will think you spent far more than you did!

I hope these insights as an ecommerce expert help you have a stellar cake experience at Walmart. Let me know if you have any other questions!