The 'I need it yesterday' client who refused to pay a rush fee

I used to bend over backwards for last-minute clients, hoping they'd appreciate the effort and maybe tip extra. After getting stiffed on a $400 rush job for a bakery 3 years ago, I now charge a flat 50% rush fee upfront before touching anything. Anyone else have a specific moment where they finally got hard about deadlines and payment?

3 comments

3 Comments

danielowens6d ago

Hard disagree honestly. That 50% rush fee thing just pushes clients to someone who will do it for less. You're basically telling them you don't want their business unless they overpay. I've done dozens of last minute jobs and never charged extra. Word gets around and those clients become your best referral source. A bakery owner who feels ripped off by a rush fee will tell everyone in the local food scene to avoid you. Being flexible builds relationships that pay off way more than that one quick score. Maybe you got burned once but holding a grudge against every client who needs something fast is just bad for business.

hernandez.gavin7d ago

My buddy runs a design firm and had this exact same thing happen with a wedding planner. She learned her lesson after doing a whole branding package in 48 hours and never getting paid.

adam4146d ago

Respectfully gotta push back on that daniel. Charging a rush fee isn't about being greedy, it's about covering the real cost of dropping everything to do their job first. A bakery that stiffs you on $400 isn't gonna be the one sending you good referrals either, they're the type to badmouth you no matter what you charge. Being flexible is great, but being a doormat just gets you more last minute clients who think your time is free.