Darlin's Sweet Shoppe
 

Today, my wife bought a cookie at the Darlin's Sweet Shoppe @ Sawgrass Grove. I guess it was a "Gourmet" cookie because it was only 3" to 4" in diameter but cost $3.00. Also, she had to pay with a credit card because they do not accept cash. When my wife asked for a receipt she was told that she needed to give them her email address. All this in a Retirement Community.

Somebody ought to tell them their price point is just a wee bit high

Maybe not, sales will give them a message either way.

So better description would be appropriate. Big difference between 3” or 4” , depth of cookie, what kind of cookie, did it have different kinds of chocolate, or nuts? Was the price not posted, and took her by surprise?

I drive to Disney Springs to buy Gideon’s cookies, @ $6.00 each. Only 6 cookies can be bought per trip. Up to 1hour wait time in line, Add gas cost, plus mileage. But worth the trip. Slice of one of their cakes is $8.50 to 10.50. No cash excepted. With six cookies, a slice of cake, and a cold brew, with tip my bill can be over $50.

Sometime quality of product is worth the cost, unless it’s more of a budget problem.

Thanks for the heads up we will continue to bake our own. Friends have also given some highlights what’s available and will not be running back.
I’ll save my money for Girl Scout Cookies and Oreo’s.

Love Gideon's but did you know they have another location in Orlando? I've heard it isn't as crowded but haven't been there yet. If all you are going for is Gideon's then that might be easier for you.

Sorry, but I don't see a.problem. $3 for a good cookie is reasonable, credit cards are easier to use, and email receipts save time and paper. I live here but don't understand how being in a retirement community changes anything.

Because likely they (and many small local operations) use SQUARE UP for processing. SQUARE UP uses an iPhone or iPad for processing, and often has no cash drawer and no printer, thus "credit only and email receipt only." If email is a concern get a "throwaway" account (gmail, yahoo, gmx and 50 others) with an "anonymous name" like COOKIEMONSTER1234567@YAHOO.COM and use that for just that kind of stuff. As time and technology marches on you will see MANY more things like this. Maybe they will eventually get a cash drawer and receipt printer depending on how many cookies they sell.

I thought Gideons made Bibles….didn’t know they made cookies too…WHAT A COUNTRY

Gideon’s bakery was named after a antique cookbook published in 1898. The book had faded notes from a young boy who dreamed to be a baker. The name written at the back of the book was Gideon, so bakery creator Steve Lewis, fulfilled the wishes of the young boy, naming it “Gideon’s Bakehouse”.

A gargoyle sits atop of the bakehouse holding a “G”

Lots of places have gone cashless especially since Covid and email receipts are getting popular, generally you have an option for no receipt as well.

Here in UK. pre-pandemic, no shop would let you use a CC for under £5.
Reason was it cost them too much to process a small amount
Now the smallest amounts are accepted, and cash still refused.
Funny old world.

Nothing better than good home cooked cookies.

GIDEON’S HANDMADE COOKIES ARE NEARLY A HALF POUND EACH! @$6.00
SIX COOKIES MAX PER PERSON IN-STORE. For $6.00 it’s a meal along with a Ghirardelli sundae.
Does Darlin’s offer a Military discount and are their cookies a half pound each?
Disney also honors a military discount with proper ID. Or Disney Pass Holder.

Don't buy the ice cream
 

I bought a scoop of ice cream $4.00 the smallest scoop of ice cream I have ever seen.
Won't be doing that again

I guess, when buying cookies or ice cream, you should always carry a tape measure and kitchen scale with you.

lol!!!

Why are you yelling? In my #4 post, same info, but in non caps. I do give you a nod with being able to eat a Gideon’s and Ghirardelli in the same day. Sugar overload would be my downfall

No cash is a sign of the times. Went to three different places in Orlando all three NoCash

I with you….the price of ice cream out is crazy. Also the price of chocolate at the local chocolate stores is $29 a pound. But it’s nice to go for a treat once in awhile

Assume you go there for a cookie. They give you a cookie and you take a bite out of it. They say it costs $3 and you offer them $3 in cash. Do they have to accept it?

On my money it says something like "legal tender for all debts". Does that mean the business owner has to accept the cash or can they call the police and have me arrested for stealing the cookie?

If they state credit only. Use your cc. What is the big deal?

My wife sees the credit card bill. If I use cash she can’t see how often I sneak out for ice cream. :1rotfl:

I think he was yelling because you kind of gave the wrong impression, or at least left something out of the equation. Half a pound of cookie at $6 might be a much better deal than one $3 cookie that's 3-4 inches.

As for driving an hour and standing in line an hour... to each his own. I wouldn't stand in line an hour for anything, much less a half-pound cookie.

No. There is no Federal law that requires businesses to accept cash. There was a Florida bill last year to require businesses to accept cash, but it didn't pass.

No I copied and pasted from Gideons site some people are so sensitive, and besides I can yell if I want.
Maybe it’s the time we went have never waited a hour to get served, it seeM at times there are more lookers than buyer’s

Who travels without a scale?:bigbow:

Lol

Perfect villager response.

Gideon’s Cooke’s are in the 4” range but thick, so many mix ins is where the weight comes from, with a cake consistency. May be that we are little younger and leave the bubble weekly. We go to Springs every 2-3 weeks for lunch, dinner or the park. First time I waited in line at Gideon’s for 24 minutes, (in the rain) with our family who love them, I thought this will never happen again.

But the cake, cookies, and cold brew are addicting, and for us worth it, otherwise I wouldn’t be spending $50 plus every couple weeks. Other cookies I love is black and white from NY, they can be $18 a pound, so $3 at Darlings could be a bonus.

Side note Gideon’s cookies don’t hold well, they need to be eaten in 2 days or less. Not sure if Darlins shelf life is better, or the weight of a cookie. If it’s on the crispy side then it’s on the light side.

Went to Winter Park for an appointment yesterday, got there early and driving around we found a cookie place called “Crumbl” (no e at the end); it had to be some of the best cookies we’ve ever munched on; $6.00 each.

No cash no " loss "
 

poor business model that will lead to losing customers and create bad will. Villagers talk. Alot.

Love Darlins and the Owners. I only use credit cards and I never want a receipt so it works great for me

My wife and I stopped by Darlin's last week and bought a couple cookies. They were both larger than 4 inches for $4 each and we're excellent cookies. After spending the prior three weeks in the UK I guess I was quite used to a cashless society. I could count on one hand the number of times a business accepted cash. Time to adjust to this hopefully soon to be post Covid world.

Just imagine all the work that it cost to make that cookie, the farmers that had to make the flower , sugar cane growers, the guys who had to make the oven, all the electrical or gas that powers the oven, then we had to clean up after you, we had to pay the worker $15 an hour to sell you one cookie. Then again your wife could have gone To Publix and bought a whole bag of 36 cookies for $3 also

So I went to Books-A-Million in Leesburg Mall and had a caramel coffee and one cookie for 7:50 plus a dollar tip which they insisted upon and tax so they'll total became practically $10. It's really a crazy world today

And really the cookie wasn't that good

Don’t see one problem. What does living in a retirement community have to do with anything?

You have to understand that ingredient costs, labor and other costs are skyrocketing. You may not want to pay that price but as I have been in food mfg for 30 years the world has changed, albeit not for the better. Some are self inflicted wounds.

With these ridiculous prices, people will eventually vote with their feet.