The Cake Bake Shop at Disney BoardWalk is known for its tall cakes and expensive menu. Since it opened, the restaurant has drawn crowds of social media influencers and tourists willing to pay high prices for a specific aesthetic. But behind the pink decor and sparkling chandeliers, a series of legal battles suggests a different reality for the people who work there.
Court records show that owner Gwendolyn Rogers and her business have faced 10 legal claims in the past year alone. Most of these cases involve allegations of unpaid wages and violations of the Florida Minimum Wage Act. While the shop presents an image of luxury, former employees describe a workplace where every cent is scrutinized at the expense of the staff.
A Pattern of Legal Settlements
Of the 10 cases filed against the company, seven have already been settled. One notable case involved Christopher Collier, a former server who worked at the Orlando location from September 2024 to January 2025. Collier filed a lawsuit claiming that the shop failed to pay him the legally required minimum wage.
Florida law allows employers to take a tip credit. This means they can pay tipped workers less than the standard minimum wage if those workers earn enough in tips to make up the difference. Collier alleged that the shop misapplied this credit or simply failed to pay him for all the hours he worked. He provided formal notice of the unpaid wages in October 2025. Gwendolyn Rogers settled the case less than a month later.
Another employee, Kelsey Radio, also took the company to court. That case was settled after the business was summoned three different times. The frequency of these filings suggests that the issues are not isolated mistakes but part of a larger trend in how the business operates.
Allegations of Off-the-Clock Work
New reports have surfaced regarding the specific ways the shop allegedly avoids paying its staff. Some workers claim they were required to prepare their uniforms off the clock. Others say the company charged them cleaning fees. These practices would effectively drop an employee’s take-home pay below the legal minimum wage.
In the lawsuit filed by Collier, the complaint alleged that Gwendolyn Rogers had total control over daily operations. This included setting pay policies and determining wages. The suit claimed she used the corporate entity to get around state wage laws and reaped the benefits of ownership while avoiding the legal requirements of paying her staff.
Pending Cases and High Stakes
The legal trouble is not over for The Cake Bake Shop. Three cases are currently pending in Orange County. Tyler Dierwechter and Lauren Walker both filed small claims lawsuits in early February 2026. Joshua Rock filed a similar claim in January. These cases seek between five and eight thousand dollars each.
Judge Andrew Bain is overseeing the newest filings. If these follow the pattern of the previous seven cases, they may end in settlements before they ever reach a full trial.
Luxury Prices and Low Wages
The contrast between the shop’s prices and its labor disputes has not gone unnoticed by the local community. Critics have compared the atmosphere to a modern version of Marie Antoinette’s court. With slices of cake costing as much as a full meal at other restaurants, many wonder why the business is struggling to pay its workers fairly. $264 Per Person to Meet ‘Saint Nick-el-and-Dime’ Disney World’s Most Pretentious Santa Claus of the Year
The shop has been described as a place built for people who value photos over the actual quality of the experience. For the influencers who visit, the shop is a backdrop for content. For the servers and bartenders filing lawsuits, it is a place where they claim their basic rights to a fair wage were ignored.
As more employees come forward, the reputation of The Cake Bake Shop continues to shift. What started as a highly anticipated addition to Disney BoardWalk is now becoming a cautionary tale about the gap between a brand’s public image and its internal practices. The three pending court cases will likely determine if the shop changes its ways or continues to settle disputes behind closed doors.
Maybe also remove the automatic gratuity that is added to every transaction while simultaneously asking you to tip on top of the automatic tip! I Said NO TIP! This is at the Bakery side of the restaurant. Which makes us wonder if the people who are filling our bags of pre packaged good off the shelf also just tipped employees?
