Unicorn Pinata ice-cream cake bombs and disappoints

I ordered the Unicorn Pinata ice-cream cake from Marcels - the Kenilworth Centre branch - a few weeks ago. At first I went to the branch end of Jan to place the order and the staff suggested I place my order closer to the time (about a week before) so that the cake is fresh. Made sense. My daughter's party was on her birthday, 13 Feb, and I went in on the Tuesday that week to place my order and paid in full. On the order form I wrote down the 12th or 13th for delivery but the staff assured me that they get their deliveries on the 12th so the cake would be there by then.

On the 12th I received no call from the store to let me know my cake had arrived. I went to the shop around 17:00 the afternoon and was told that my cake had indeed arrived but they sent it back (to HQ or wherever) as it was substandard. I was a little miffed that nobody had informed me but at the same time grateful that they had gone the extra mile in quality checking my cake. They assured me the cake would be at the store before 09:00 on the 13th. The party would start at 11:00 on the 13th. Enough time for me to do the last minute dash.

On the morning of the 13th, I did all my last minute rounds and left cake pick-up for last. I still had not received any call from the store and assumed the cake would be there because this is what was said. It was not so.

I arrived at the store at around 10:00 (running late) and was told my cake had not arrived. I politely wanted to give them my address for delivery as I now needed to get back to setup for the party. They informed me they did not do deliveries. Be that as it may, I still did not have my cake. I was R440 poorer and my daughter would be disappointed.

The manager arrived and I explained the predicament to her. I couldn't really hang around waiting for a cake. I also expressed my disappointment at the insufficient communication from her store regarding my cake. She explained policy was to only call customers when the cake would arrive. That policy is less than helpful. If my cake only arrived three weeks later, of what significance would that be? She got into it with me about how much she would spend on making calls just telling customers their cakes are not in the store. This makes no business sense. It breaks trust between client and brand.

While waiting to give her my address, the delivery guys arrived (without my cake) and the manager got into it with them (I don't think the delivery guys make the cakes themselves). She sent one of the employees to the back area and a cake was produced. It was definitely the same cake that was 'sent back' the day before as it was in a terrible condition. There was no unicorn horn. The marshmallows and sweets were shriveled and potentially had freezer burn. Some stuck to the lid of the box. What was my choice here? Keep to my principles and demand a refund (thus disappointing my daughter by arriving without a freagin cake) or take the sub standard cake and haul ass back home for the party? I took the cake and left.

Shocking customer relations, terrible service from Marcels' kitchen who make the cakes and I will not be paying all that money again for something that honestly doesn't meet the minimum standard.