As soon as we got off the Greyhound bus early in the morning, the first impression of New York was bad - dirty with bums. Waiting for our ride, we explored the nearby streets, and found the first cupcake place on the list - Cupcake Cafe. The cupcakes were decorated in a tradtional manner - not in a traditional cupcake manner, but in a sense that the flowers and icing reminded me of how people would decorate their cakes and pastries decades prior. The store was unimpressive - it was dark; the windows scratched and old, the staff were slow, and the product and price signs were on a piece of paper, written by marker, taped on the display. I bought 3 cupcakes and a biscotti, thinking I could eat the cupcakes later, while having the biscotti for breakfast. (picture courtesy from cupcakecafe.com)
The biscotti was awful. It had a good name - chocolate and cherry. But it was stale. My mate ate one with me and he felt ill afterwards. The cupcakes we couldn't eat until much later; these were placed in a paper bag and the icing got messed. We felt that the staff could have been a bit more intelligent by putting them in a small box instead. The cupcakes aren't cheap - the small ones sell for almost $3.00 USD. Unhappy, we went out of the store.
We had the cupcakes in the afternoon when we missed lunch. The icing, by this time, was a mess. I took a bite, and was so taken by the deliciousness of the taste and texture! I was enjoying the moment - never in my life have I ever had such a great tasting cupcake! The icing was smooth and buttery, and the cake was moist, soft and fluffy. Perfection. The store, its display and the staff really do not do the cupcake justice. The cupcake itself was worth every penny.
A few hours before leaving the city the next day, we managed to find the second cupcake place - Crumbs Bakeshop. It was located in a very nice, expensive neighborhood (no bums and much less garbage). The cupcakes were much bigger than the ones at the previous bakery, and the flavors were more creative. The look of the cupcakes was more modern. I had a caramel apple cupcake. The first bite - what a disappointment! As big and cute as it was, the icing was made mostly of sugar, not butter. Hence the texture was coarse. The cake itself was too sweet, and not soft enough. We also had a caramel chew cupcake, in which one bite was enough to make us feel full to the brim. Each cupcake was almost $4.00 USD.
The verdict? Even though Crumbs Bakeshop had a much better image - the store, the product, when it comes down to it Cupcake Cafe's product was a winner. I wouldn't go back to Crumbs, but would defintely go back to Cupcake Cafe. Our friend, however, was so taken by the impression of the Crumbs Bakery that he thought the product was better there too.
(picture of caramel chew cupcake and caramel apple cupcake from crumbsbakeshop.com)
All in all, first impression is so important. Important to the point that it will help a business attract prospects. However, it is not enough to retain customers just by first impression. The offerings have to be up to the same level at least. Of course, there will always be people whose senses are blinded by the exterior beauty. How long their blindness lasts really is up to how long they can are taken by the exterior of all things.
