why is a bakers dozen 13 and a normal dozen 12?

Answer 1

They did 13 just in case one of the batch fcuked up

In order to avoid the dangers of short-weight, bakers often gave a small extra piece of bread, the ‘in-bread’, with each loaf and some of today’s older generation can still remember receiving these tasty morsels when buying a loaf. The custom arose likewise of bakers giving 13 loaves for every 12 bought, the extra one being termed the ‘vantage loaf’ and hence the ‘bakers’ dozen’.


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Answer 2

What's the origin of "baker's dozen"?
24-Oct-2002


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Dear Straight Dope:

I can't find anything on why a baker's dozen is 13. I heard that it came from the time when royalty had food testers. Thus, the tester got one and the dozen was still intact for the king or queen. For some reason I don't buy that. Help. --Leslie Matteson

SDSTAFF Dex replies:

I don't buy it either. I've got a much simpler theory, and if you don't like it I've got a slightly more complicated one that doesn't require us to drag in the royalty.

The first theory goes back to ancient times. Bakers were widely viewed with suspicion, since it was common (and easy) for them to short-weight customers. Many societies had severe penalties for bakers who engaged in such underhanded practices. For instance, one source says that in ancient Egypt, the baker's ear was nailed to the doorpost of his bakery if he were found selling light loaves. (I'm not sure whether the ear was still attached to the baker. Either way it was a pretty stiff punishment.)

Under the code of Hammurabi, a loaf of bread and a man's hand were interchangeable. They took their bread seriously back then.

In the mid-13th century, British law imposed strict regulations on bakers regarding the weight of bread. Bakers wanted to make sure they complied, since the penalties were severe (a fine or the pillory, although nothing involving ears, so far as I know). It was difficult to make loaves of uniform weight in those days before automation, so bakers added a 13th loaf to every shipment of 12--better to be overweight than under. Thus "a baker's dozen" meant 13.

The second theory is more complicated. A baker selling to a third party (a street vendor, say) would add a 13th loaf as the profit for the middleman. That is, the baker sells the middleman 13 loaves for the price of 12, and the middle man sells the 13 individual loaves for a 7.7% profit.

Whichever theory you accept, the evolution of the expression today has come to mean that the baker adds an extra cookie, bun, pastry or whatever to the order of 12 as a bonus.

By the way, the word "baker" itself, meaning one who bakes (duh), dates from around the year 1000. A variant is bakester, which survives in the surname Baxter. As Cecil has pointed out, some think -ster is a female ending and that a bakester or baxter was originally a female baker, just as there were websters (female weavers) and spinsters (female thread spinners). But those acquainted with many gangsters, mobsters, or teamsters (not saying these three terms are in any way related) may have their doubts.

--SDSTAFF Dex

Answer 3

The oldest known source and most probable origin for the expression "bakers dozen" dates to the 13th century in one of the earliest English statutes, instituted during the reign of Henry III (r. 1216-1272), called the Assize of Bread and Ale. Bakers who were found to have short-changed customers could be liable to severe punishment. To guard against the crude punishment of losing a hand to an axe, a baker would give 13 for the price of 12, to be certain of not being known as a cheat. Specifically, the practice of baking 13 items for an intended dozen was to prevent "short measure", on the basis that one of the 13 could be lost, eaten, burnt or ruined in some way, leaving the baker with the original dozen. The practice could be seen in the guild codes of the Worshipful Company of Bakers in London.

Answer 4

In the 13th century, bakers were liable to severe punishment for short-changing customers, so to ensure they'd keep their hands intact, they gave 13 for the price of 12.

Also, if you bake 13, one of the 13 can be lost, stolen, eaten, or destroyed and you will still have your original dozen.

There is also rumor that the term originates from days when there were royal food testers, that would test everything before it was presented to the king/queen. By having 13 after the testing there were still a perfect dozen left to be served.

Answer 5

B/c when you bought a dozen (12) of anything, the baker would show his gratitude by tossing in an extra one. You could buy 11 and get 11; or buy 12 adn get 13. Which would you do?

Answer 6

13

Answer 7

A dozen rolls had to weigh a certain weight, if the weight was over the baker was okay if he was under he was in trouble so they always baked 13 to cover any weight loss during the making and cooking.

Answer 8

It's because in medieval England, bakers could be punished very severely for shortchanging their customers. So, just to be on the safe side, they'd always make 13 items when asked for a dozen.

Answer 9

This is an old expression indicating a "baker/owner" taking home a dozen, 13.

There's an expression in meat markets,
"a butcher's steak".

This indicates a steak that has turned dark, and most customers refuse to buy them. They were usually "aged", most flavorful and tender.
This from experience.

Answer 10

I think back in the day bakers would add an extra roll to the dozen to prove they weren't cheating their customers or something like that.