Why is a bakers dozen 13 and not 12?

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

A baker's dozen is 13, because years ago in England there were strict penalties for those who gave short weight. During this era Bakers were usually not educated and terrible counters. So to avoid any penalties, the bakers would give 13 instead of 12 or a dozen, just in case they miscalculated.

Answer 3

because back in the old days a baker would make 13, check 1 of them by cutting it open and checking it was all ok, then sell the other 12, therefore a dozen for a baker is 13...hope this helps

Answer 4

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’.

Answer 5

The oldest known source and most probable origin for the expression "baker's 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 shortchanged 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

Answer 6

13

Answer 7

A "baker's dozen" being 13 instead of 12 originated from bakers throwing in an extra donut to boost their bakery's business and community image by giving customers something extra at no charge.

Don't we all like to get something free when we don't expect it?

Answer 8

Because a long time ago, not giving the correct amount to a customer (if it was less) was considered theft. This could result in some really bad consequences (like losing a hand). So bakery's always put in one extra - just in case. Hence, a baker's dozen - 13.

Answer 9

1 for the baker

Answer 10

I think bakers used to cook an extra one in case one of the dozen was burnt - no idea if this is true but it sounds logical to me!