Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/17/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I began talking to the business owner 1/13/2023 for a catering job. The business owner asked me if I would like to put a $250 refundable deposit down to reserve my spot. I did this transaction with the business owner. I texted her on 7/5/2023 notifying her that I no longer need the catering service and was requesting my refundable deposit back. The Business owner did not respond back until 7/12/2023 stating that the deposit is no longer refundable. The business owner never stated this to me in previous conversations or in a contract.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/18/2023

  In January ******************************* reached out to me stating that she was getting married but was struggling to find a caterer. She stated that several caterers had turned her down do to having such a low budget. She stated that she could only afford to pay $1500 dollars which worked out to about $10 dollars a person. That $10 dollars would have to include food, tax, service fee, and my staff fee. She told me that 2 other caterers pretty much laughed at her. I felt bad for her she seemed distraught so I told her that I would see If I could work something out for her. I ask her if she wanted to hold the date as we worked through things as I book up quickly. I held the date for her at the time for a refundable $250 deposit while we tried to get a price and a menu that would fit into their budget. I knew there wasn't a way to do it so I decided that I would do the job for her as a favor and came up with a few menu options that I would run through my food truck for her. When we spoke on the phone when we were talking about the menu, we spoke of the fact I was doing this to help her out and that I wouldn't be making any money.  I also explained to her at that time of solidifying the menu that the deposit was no longer refundable but would go toward the balance of her catering. I sent an invoice to her on April 14th showing the balance with her $250 posted toward the balance. I didn't know there was an issue with the wedding until July 2nd when she said they had a hiccup and that they were searching high and low for a venue. She reached out to me again on July 5th to see if I could take a phone call, I told her I was on vacation and couldn't talk but I could text. We Flew out of ******* to ****** for my daughter's birthday that same day and I turned off my work phone when we were boarding the plane. I didn't engage with work as we enjoyed out vacation with my daughter. On Wednesday the 12th after vacation I went through my messages, I got one from ******** saying they could no longer pay for the food truck do to having to find another venue and that she wanted a refund. I let her know that it was no longer refundable and that I had turned down several jobs keeping the date for her. She kept pushing and then I reminded her that her deposit was only refundable in the beginning as we worked out a plan for her low budget and that I told her that when she booked her menu. I am very saddened by this situation. I spent a lot of personal time working out a way to help them when no one else would then to be treated this way. We had no formal documents as I was doing it as a favor Just our conversations and the Invoice I sent after posting her deposit to her balance as we spoke about on the phone. I have been running Shawna Rae’s since 2016. I have done over a 150 catering jobs each year since I started and have never had any issues. I have hours of time invested in this not to mention turning down 2 big jobs to keep their date. Had the situation been an illness or an emergency I would of looked at it different but instead it was we need a refund so we can do a taco bar for ourselves. I do feel sorry for the situation ******** is in but I feel I have went above and beyond for her. I'm saddened that after doing all of that for her, after treating her with dignity and respect that this is how I'm treated. This has been a life ****** I won't make again. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/18/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Shawna never explained to me or my fianc that this deposit was no longer refundable. This policy was mentioned to me when I asked for a refund, for the refundable deposit I put down as what was stated by the business owner herself.
  We very seldom spoke to her over the phone due to never getting an answer from her. I visited her **********  times. Once to get cupcakes and ask about menu options, which I never got menu options. Once with my fianc to get cupcakes and ask about menu options, which we didnt get options. Once with my family member to get cupcakes. Once so I can get lunch and menu options. Which I never received. I did not get a finalized menu from Shawna Raes until I texted her addressing the lack of communication. 
  I have attached every text message I have from Shawna, there are more messages but I could not attach them due to being at my limit. I will gladly put the rest of the conversations on the website when I am granted to add more photos. 
  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/18/2023

  She is correct in it being hard to reach sometimes  I also told her in the beginning that *** be the case at times. I am a small business, I have no people answering phones, text, emails or ********* I am the chef, *****, delivery person, and the person who answers all communications so it does  take a little time for me to return responses. She did recieve a menu!  I will re affirm that this was a favor! A kind gesture! ******** new it was a favor from the beginning. This was at no point a regular contracted wedding. There were conversations not in the text. This for me was an act of kindness, the same I would do for my church, for my daughter schools. for friend and family. I would never believe that I would need to enter into an iron clad contract with my church when I did them a favor nor did I believe I would need to do that for ********. She has shown me that you need to protect yourself no matter what!  Had this been an actual wedding job where ******** was actually paying me appropriately for my services it would be different. If ******** feels good about herself pursuing this she can do that. I refuse to continue defending a kind gesture. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 07/18/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:

  When I first contacted Shawna Raes I knew that she was a small business. I would go days or even weeks without communication. I have other people willing to defend this as well because they received the same business. I recommended her to many people, but they were disappointed with the lack of communication as well and went elsewhere. 

  I will not stand silent knowing that I was told a deposit would be refunded, then when I asked for it to be refunded, it was suddenly unavailable. I feel that this is a lie and a scam towards a consumer, and I hope that no other customer gets treated like this.