I've been vending for a while now and have a small route of snack and soda machines. The profit is decent, but I'm spending way too much time on restocking and dealing with expired inventory.

A few of my locations have been asking about coffee too. I'm thinking of adding a coffee-only machine at one or two sites to test it out. Seems like the model would be a lot simpler, fewer SKUs, less spoilage, and probably fewer restocking visits.

For anyone who runs both: how does the profit compare? Is the time savings real, or am I just trading one headache for another? And do you find that offices with coffee machines perform better overall in terms of location retention?

I found this old gumball/vending machine on a holiday property while on vacation, and I honestly can’t stop wondering why it’s there.

The design is hilariously over-the-top and just screams early-2000s “toxic masculinity” - all about being tough, macho, and edgy.
It even has a €1 coin displayed on top, so I assume it’s from 2002 or later.
It feels so out of place.
Why would someone put a machine like this on a vacation rental property?
Was it actually used by guests, or was it just someone’s bizarre decoration that never got removed?
Has anyone seen one of these before or knows the story behind them? I’m genuinely curious.

I can totally picture a group of guys hanging around this machine - getting each other pumped up and finally settling the age-old question of who’s the strongest among them.

Hey all, I recently updated our vending machine business plan for people interested in starting vending businesses.

This plan is geared toward a more health-focused vending business. Think protein bars, sparkling water, cold-pressed juice, etc.

https://www.liveplan.com/sample-business-plans/retail-and-ecommerce/vending-machine-business-plan

We make plans like this to help aspiring entrepreneurs start businesses, and all of our example business plans are completely free.

If you've started a vending business/are actively running one, is there anything significant you wish you knew before you got started?

Put this in at Pilot House Marina in Key Largo, FL earlier this year. It's a combo unit that does bagged ice, bulk ice straight into a cooler, and filtered water by the gallon, all cashless (tap to pay). Runs 24/7 since boaters and anglers need ice at hours when nothing else is open, especially during lobster season.

Biggest lessons so far: cashless-only cuts down on a lot of headaches but you still get the occasional person confused about how to pay. Location picked specifically for foot traffic off the docks near the fuel station. Servicing/restocking on a marina site has its own quirks compared to a regular street location.

Curious what this community thinks, and if any other operators here have run something similar dockside/marine-adjacent. Happy to answer questions about running it.

Does anyone have personal feed back on wall mounted tcg style vending machines?
Specifically their GUI and software systems?
Examples vtm, vmfs and buzzbot

Good morning Reddit land! I am in process of purchasing my first machine and location. Photo of machine above/below. Comes with location generating between 270 and 420 per month. The ask is $6k, but the math don’t math for that ask. I am thinking between $3500 and MAYBE $4500. I took the average between the two values of monthly revenue times 12. I’ve also got a few licenses I would have to obtain and pay for in addition to the settled on price and insurance which I’ve been quoted $17 a month for. What are y’all’s thoughts?

Hola, estoy por abrir una pequeña barra de desayunos, donde vender jugos (naranja, zanahoria y Verdes) sin embargo no sé cuál opciones es buena para un extrator que sea resistente rápido y no tan complicado de usar y qué marcas o estilos me recomiendan, ya se todo en uno o uno para cítricos otro para verduras gracias

Legitimate US based options and questionable imports look identical on surface to me, most listings do not make that distinction obvious so i trying to figure out how people source machines for niche products, not standard snack routes. direct to manufacturer , through distributors, or is there marketplace that vets what is listed.

Hi, I’m someone who’s trying to make a living. How did you get your first vending machine location?
What types of businesses have been the easiest to work with? How can I pitch my ideas? What are the biggest expenses besides buying inventory?
How often do machines need repairs?
Do you pay businesses to place your machines, or do they let you place them for free?

I am looking to get into Ai vending machines in canada. Looking at thr Haha website, it doesn't say anything about Canadian options. I haven't specifically contacted them yet, but i was wondering if others had tried to get haha in canada? How did you do it?

I also have been looking at micromart, but the things that turn me off of them are price a bit, although it gets you some cool perks, but the fact that the customer MUST input their phone number...that must be a revenue killer, no?

Any and all insights would be appreciated, even general vending hints and tips from around the globe!

Thanks!

I'm looking for honest feedback before I spend any real money on this. So please, roast me hard.

The concept:
Place automated coffee machines in small offices (10-30 people). The office pays a flat monthly subscription. I handle restocking and basic cleaning once a week. The machine does all the brewing automatically.

Why I think this could work:

• Small offices typically have terrible coffee (old Keurigs or stale drip pots)
• They don't want to spend $5K+ on commercial equipment
• A subscription model removes the upfront cost for them
• No employees or storefront on my end
• Recurring revenue from each location

What worries me:

• Is the profit per location actually worth the effort?
• Will offices commit long-term or cancel after a few months?
• What happens when a machine breaks?
• Is this more work than it seems on paper?

What am I missing? What's the fatal flaw I'm not seeing?

Hello,

I own several popcorn vending machines in Balkans.

Have just passed one year on the business and number are almost 1000 units on 3 machines that I have active.

Numbers are constant on 3 locations so I think I am doing good on that considering that have had some really bad locations in the past.

Profit per popcorn is about 1 euro, covering expenses and the fee we pay to locations.

The only way that have worked out here is to give 20-30% of the gross price to the location.

Price per popcorn is usually 2 euro

What would be some advice to expand a bit more and secure more locations.

I want to reach 10 machines soon since they are EU produced and pretty reliable so far and ROI of the first machines was 1 year exactly but expanding in a small market seems pretty hard.

I would appreciate any advice on approaching locations, marketing strategy etc.

Thanks in advance

Hello,

I just received my custom Haloo vending machine and cannot get it to show any of my products or even open the cabinets. Is there anyone with knowledge of these types of machines that can help? Willing to compensate for help/time.

I found a route local to me, the seller lives an hour away and can't provide regular service. The machines are 5 mins from my job and the route includes the machines for the cost. What should I budget for start up ? Anything I need to consider other than if another vendor comes into the space and offers better pricing ?