Selling and marketing
Pie Order Form: 9 Fields, Deposit, and Pickup Date
A pie order form that collects the right details, takes a deposit, and protects your margin.
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What to remember
- Ask for the pie, size, quantity, pickup date, phone number, and price before you bake.
- Take a deposit that covers ingredients and packaging, and write the rule on the form.
- Add ingredients, labor, and overhead before you call the rest profit.
- Keep the form on your phone so you can take an order at the market table.
You do not need a long contract to take a pie order. A clear pie order form does three jobs: it tells you what to bake, when she will pick it up, and how much she pays today. Start with the fields below and change the labels to match the pies you sell.
What fields belong on a pie order form
The form should fit on one phone screen. Ask only what you need to bake the right pie and hand it over at the right time. Every extra field can be a place for her to stop and text you a question instead of ordering. If you also sell cheesecake, copy the field order from our cheesecake order form.
Name and phone number
Ask for a phone number, not just an email. You will need to text her when the pie is ready.
Pie and size
List the flavors and sizes you sell. Add a note if a size is sold out this week.
Quantity
Ask how many pies she wants. Set a minimum if you need one to make the trip worth it.
Pickup date and time
Give her a date and a time window. Do not leave pickup as a message you send later.
Price and deposit
Show the full price and the deposit due today. Make the balance clear.
Allergy and handling note
Ask about allergies and say how the pie should be stored. Keep the note short.
Put the most important fields first: pie, size, quantity, and pickup. If she has to scroll past three questions about napkins before she reaches the pickup date, she may close the form. You can ask for a note at the end.
How should you set a deposit for pie orders
A deposit is not a fee for your time. It is the part of the order that covers ingredients and packaging before you shop. Set it high enough that a no show does not leave you with a pie you cannot sell.
Write the deposit rule in plain words on the form. Say how much is due today, what the balance is, and when the balance is due. Use the same plain deposit rule as our cake order form. If your state or local food rules set terms for deposits or cancellations, follow those rules first.
Make paying easy. Brevl lets you take card payments through your own Stripe or Square account, plus Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and cash. Put the accepted methods on the form and say when the balance is due. Do not make her ask you how to pay.
How do you price a pie order with ingredients, labor, and overhead
Price the whole order, not one slice. Add the ingredients you bought for that pie, the box and label, and the power you used. Then add your labor at a rate you would pay someone else. Finally add a share of your monthly overhead.
Brevl costs $20 a month and takes 0% commission, so that is a real overhead line you can put on the form. The 30 day trial needs no card. If you already pay for a shop or a market table, add a share of those costs as well. The number left after all three lines is your margin.
Brevl also keeps recipes with real costing, ingredient inventory, and a weekly planner. That helps you see what a pie costs before you promise it to a customer. If you change the size or the filling, update the cost on the same day.
How do you work out the margin on a pie order
Use your own receipts for the ingredient line and your own rate for labor. For example, write the ingredient total for the pie, the box and label total, and the hours you worked on one line. Add $20 for Brevl as overhead and 0% commission on the sale. Then take all three away from the order total. What is left is your margin. If the margin is too thin, change the size, the packaging, or the price before you send the form.
Which pie order mistakes cost you money
The costly mistakes are usually small missing details. A form without a pickup time leads to a second trip. A form without a phone number leads to a text you cannot send. A form without a deposit rule leads to a pie you made for free.
Check the form before you send it to a customer. Read it on your phone, not just on a computer. Fill it out as if you were the customer. If a field makes you stop and think, rewrite the label or remove the field.
Another money leak is a pie size you cannot repeat. If the form lists a size you do not have a pan for, you will guess at the price and the box. List only the sizes you can make the same way every week.
Write a short cancellation rule on the form. Say what happens to the deposit if she cancels, and what happens if you cannot bake. A clear rule protects both of you and saves you from a long text argument later.
How short should the form be on a phone
Treat the form like something she fills out between school pickup and dinner. Use large labels, short questions, and a clear pay button. If you take orders at a market, keep a paper copy with the same fields so you can write while she talks.
Test the form on your own phone before you share it. Check that the price, pickup date, and deposit show up without zooming. Ask a friend to fill it out and tell you where she paused. Fix that spot first.
For a longer field list with a pickup date, see the bread order form. Keep the pie form shorter than that one. A pie order has fewer choices than a full bakery order, so it should take less time to complete.
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Common questions
What should go first on a pie order form?
Start with the pie, size, quantity, and pickup date. Those four answers tell you what to bake and when to hand it over. Add name, phone number, price, and deposit after that. Keep the first screen short so she can order without scrolling through questions she does not need.
How much deposit should I ask for on a pie order?
Set the deposit high enough to cover the ingredients and packaging for that order. Do not try to cover your full profit up front. Write the amount on the form and say when the balance is due. If your state or local rules set deposit terms, follow those first.
Can I take a pie order on my phone?
Yes. Use a form that fits one phone screen and test it on your own phone. A customer should be able to choose the pie, pick a pickup window, and pay the deposit without zooming. If you take orders at a market, keep a paper copy with the same fields.
What if a customer asks for a pie size I do not sell?
Offer the closest size you can make the same way every week. Do not promise a new size until you have costed it and tested it. A new pan size may need a different price, a different box, and a test before you sell it. Say no kindly and show her what you do sell.
Should I put a cancellation rule on the form?
Yes. Write one short rule that says what happens to the deposit if she cancels and what happens if you cannot bake. Keep it in plain words. A clear rule protects both of you and saves you from a long text argument after the pie is made.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Check your state and local rules before you set deposit terms or sell a new food.