[temporalparts]

This was a response to an old law where bakers were accused of "cheating" customers by overpricing undersized loaves or intentionally creating giant air pockets in their bread to minimize the amount of converted flour the customer would be getting.

one such source: https://www.britannica.com/story/why-is-a-bakers-dozen-13

[travisjungroth]

That article doesn’t have any sources and I’m hesitant to take it as a primary source. A blog isn’t an encyclopedia, even with the same name.

Also doesn’t pass some cursory thinking. If the law is about loaves being too light or small, how does giving out an extra loaf to people who buy 12 help? Who is even buying 12 loaves of bread when restaurants are rare and refrigeration non-existent? Armies, but then they’re buying even way more.

I don’t know why this needs a backstory. A dozen is a common number for objects because it’s highly composite. Then buy X get 1 free promotions are one of the simplest ways to give discounts. No one has to be the first to do it. It could spread and people could come up with it on their own.

[MichaelCollins]

> If the law is about loaves being too light or small, how does giving out an extra loaf to people who buy 12 help?

If the baker gives you 13 and calls it 12, that makes it harder for a greedy baker narrative to stick. It doesn't have to be logical, it's about managing impressions.

> Who is even buying 12 loaves of bread when restaurants are rare and refrigeration non-existent?

The average family used to be the size of a small army. 12 loafs of bread could be eaten in 1 or 2 days if you've got 12 hungry kids and bread is a major component of their diet.

[travisjungroth]

It doesn’t add up that it would just be about managing impressions or controlling a narrative. The fact that there was a law regulating the price of loaves of bread is well recorded. Anyone selling loaves too small but also selling baker’s dozen would be in violation.

I regret trying to say buying a dozen would be uncommon. It’s more that even if they sell a dozen, of course there’d frequently be orders smaller than that.

[MichaelCollins]

Bakers were under constant suspicion of cheating customers and the regulations. Adulterated flour was a big concern too, not just loafs too small or airy. To manage their reputations, I think bakers would rationally take any edge they can get.

[morelisp]

> Bakers were under constant suspicion of cheating customers and the regulations.

I once found a book of old German jokes and basically every third one the joke's essence was some kind of slander against the town miller.

[travisjungroth]

I totally agree that bakers would give an extra loaf to help their reputation. I seriously doubt this was done as a way to stay in line with the law as the linked article claims.

[bombcar]

Loaves weren’t necessarily the same size as we have now. And smaller pastries have always existed.

I suspect part of it was make 13 so if one gets messed up you still have 12 - and usually you don’t lose one so an extra is available.

Kind of like how Denny’s started giving you the thing they mixed the milkshake in along with the shake.

[rascul]

Maybe this

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assize_of_Bread_and_Ale

[golem14]

Bread rolls perhaps, not loaves?

But don’t forget, people used to eat _way_ more bread in earlier times …