Former servers and bartenders at The Cake Bake Shop Restaurant by Gwendolyn Rogers said they relied on tips but were instead assigned “excessive” additional duties so they were not compensated fairly, according to complaints filed in small claims, Orange County Civil and federal courts in 2025 and 2026.

The workers complained money was also taken out of their paychecks for uniform cleaning or shoe purchases. Others said they were required to spend up to an hour each shift ‘preparing their work uniform’ off the clock.

“Defendants have and continue to willfully violate the Florida Minimum Wage Act by not paying the wages owed to Plaintiff,” court records said. “Gwendolyn Rogers reaped the benefits of ownership while escaping the corporate liabilities in the form of wage requirements.”

The litigation is being handled by the same attorney Tanner Riche who declined to comment.
The Cake Bake Shop which operates a location at Disney World’s BoardWalk Hotel, also declined to comment on the allegations but issued a statement.

“We remain firmly committed to our team members, who are the foundation of our organization. We take great pride in their professionalism, dedication, and the care they bring to their work each day,” said Angie Daniel, Vice President of The Cake Bake Shop, in a statement to WDWNT. “We are equally committed to fostering a respectful, positive workplace where every member of our team feels supported and has the opportunity to thrive.”

Some of the cases filed last year reached a settlement of the owed wages and legal fees then were voluntarily dismissed, court records showed.

The pending federal lawsuit against Cake Bake Shop filed by an ex-bartender said the damages for violating Florida Minimum Wage Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act were between $15,000 to $50,000 “exclusive of interests, costs, and attorney’s fees.”

In addition to making drinks or serving food, some of the workers’ job duties required cleaning, stocking, packing to-go orders, washing dishes, dusting, mopping and being in charge of “heavy LED lamps” every morning and night, the lawsuits said.

“Rather than being ‘occasional,’ the side work that Plaintiff was required to undertake occupied substantial discrete and insular periods of the Plaintiff’s workday. Plaintiff was required to work for substantial periods of time before Plaintiff’s tip-producing shift began. Plaintiff was additionally required to work for substantial periods of time after Plaintiff’s shift concluded. Plaintiff had sustained periods of time during shifts where only side work tasks were being performed,” the lawsuits said.

The bakery became a controversial and sometimes beloved sensation for its prices and its sweet treats when it opened at Disney World in 2024. WDWNT was part of the media blitz and reviewed four cake slices that came with a $93 price tag.

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