If you are contemplating starting a vending machine business, it is important to note that the location you install your vending machine will go a long way to determine the profitability of the business.
The fact that vending machines can be found in the streets and in public facilities does not in a way mean that location has no influence on the profits you stand to gain from the business.
If you intend starting a vending machine business, here some of the best vending machine location ideas you can choose from for quick profits;
Best Vending Machine Locations
1. School Premises
If you have vending machines that dispense chilled bottles of soft drinks and energy drinks, ice cream and snack foods such as potato and corn chips, pretzels, roasted and salted nuts, nut butters, popcorn, hot dogs, sausage and other similar snacks, and of course materials such learning pads, story books, Lego, jig saw puzzle, educative video games, educative CDs and DVDs et al, one of your best locations is within a school premises.
Trust me, students are some of the people that make use of vending machines more which is why it is easier to find different vending machines in and around school premises most especially in high schools, colleges and universities.
2. Church Premises
The fact that people attend church at least twice in a week means that church premises is another ideal location to locate your vending machine. All you need to do is to look for a church that has the crowd and one that is secured.
You can talk to the management of the church and they will give you a location to install your vending machine. This kind of location is ideal for a vending machine that dispenses books, CDs, DVD, chilled bottles of soft drinks and energy drinks, ice cream and snack foods.
3. Hotel Lobby
Another ideal location that is profitable to install a vending machine is a hotel lobby. Trust me, there are several hotels that are willing to partner with anyone who wants to install a vending machine within their lobby.
Although it is competitive to locate a vending machine in hotels, but you can’t rule out the fact that it is profitable especially if they hotel has clients on a regular basis.
Vending machines that vends beauty care and cosmetics products, newspapers and magazine and even cigarettes are usually found in the lobby of hotels.
4. Shopping Malls
A shopping mall is yet another ideal location to install a vending machine if you want quick profits. A shopping mall is a modern, essentially North American, term for a form of shopping area or shopping center in which one or more buildings form a complex of shops with interconnecting walkways, usually indoors.
Interestingly, there are several shopping malls that are willing to welcome vending machines to be installed within their facility.
Before going ahead to install a vending machine in a shopping mall, ensure you know what people would love to buy from a vending machine. It could be raffle tickets, movie tickets or groceries et al.
5. Sports Complex
No doubt, you will agree that a sport complex is an ideal place to install a vending machine especially vending machines that dispense chilled bottles of soft drinks and energy drinks, ice cream and snack foods.
People that visit sports complexes either to participate in games or as spectators would usually go with money to spend on drinks and snacks hence the high patronage of vending machines that are installed in strategic locations in and around the complex.
6. Estate Gates
Another ideal location to install a vending machine is around an estate gate. You have to ascertain that the location is secured before going ahead to install your vending machine or else it can be vandalized.
Interestingly, there is no restriction on what you intend vending from a vending machine that is installed in and around an estate gate.
You can vend magazine and newspapers, you can vend movie tickets and raffle tickets, bread or frozen food, or just about anything.
7. Beach
A beach is yet another good vending machine location idea. Trust me, people visit beaches on a regular basis and when they visit, they have it in mind that they are going to spend money and vending machines happen to be one of the areas that they spend their money on.
This type of location is ideal for installing vending machines that dispense chilled bottles of soft drinks, bottled water and energy drinks, ice cream and snack foods.
8. Parks and Playgrounds
There are several parks and playgrounds in and around your city that has limited vending machines. If you are looking for some of the best vending machine location ideas for quick profits, then you should consider installing your vending machines in and around parks and playgrounds.
Just ensure that they are parks and playgrounds that are frequently visited and the facility is secured and safe for your vending machines.
9. Camp Ground/Camp Sites
Camp grounds or sites are yet another ideal location to install a vending machine. Usually, people that visit campsites buy stuffs from vending machines and a matter of fact, there are no limits to the items that can be retailed from a vending machine that is installed in a campsite.
10. Recreational Vehicle Parks (RV Parks)
Another ideal location to install a vending machine is a RV Park. A recreational vehicle park (RV park) or caravan park is a place where people with recreational vehicles can stay overnight, or longer, in allotted spaces known as “sites” or “campsites”. They are also referred to as campgrounds, though a true campground also provides facilities for tent camping.
11. Hospital Lobby
The rate at which people are installing vending machines in hospital lobbies can only point to one fact, it is a profitable business venture.
So, if you are looking for some of the best vending machine location ideas, then you should consider installing your vending machine in hospital lobbies. Aside from the fact that it is a highly secured location, it is also a location that welcomes people on a regular basis.
Please note that this type of location is ideal for vending machines that dispense drinks, bottled water and energy drinks, ice cream and snack foods such as potato and corn chips, pretzels, roasted and salted nuts, etc.
12. Public Facilities with Swimming Pools
Another ideal location for a vending machine that will attract sales on a regular basis is within a public facility that has swimming pools.
When people swim, they may want to have some snacks and drinks and you don’t expect them to go outside the premises on their swimming trunks just because they want to get some drinks or snacks, hence the high patronage of vending machines that are located within public facilities with swimming pools.
13. Farmers Markets
A farmer’s market is a place where farmers bring their harvest to sell directly to wholesalers or consumers. In farmer markets, all kinds of people visit for the main aim of purchasing farm produce but you can’t rule out the fact that both sellers and buyers can be thirsty and would need chilled drinks and bottled water and even snacks.
That is where a vending machine comes in. So, if you are looking for an ideal location to install your vending machines, then a farmers market will be an ideal location for you.
14. Airports
If you travel through airports, you will noticed that there are several vending machines that vend several items installed around airport facilities. This goes to show that airports are amongst the best vending machine location ideas for quick profit.
Although there are various types of vending machines in airports, but newspaper and magazine vending machines are amongst the most popular. A newspaper and magazine vending machine is a vending machine designed to distribute newspapers and magazines.
15. Seaports
Seaports are yet another ideal location to locate a vending machine if you indeed want the business to be profitable. People pass through or visit seaports for various reasons and they would of course have need to buy stuffs from vending machines.
Interestingly, there are several vending machines that can be installed within seaport facilities but this type of location is ideal for installing vending machine that dispenses newspapers, magazines, chilled bottles of soft drinks, bottled water and energy drinks, ice cream and snack foods such as potato and corn chips, pretzels, roasted and salted nuts, nut butters, popcorn, hot dogs, sausage and other similar snacks.
16. Train Station
If you pass through train stations, you will notice that there are several vending machines that vend several items around train stations. This goes to show that train stations are amongst the best vending machine location ideas.
Although there are various types of vending machines in airports, but newspaper and magazine vending machines are amongst the most popular.
A newspaper and magazine vending machine or newspaper rack is a vending machine designed to distribute newspapers and magazines.
17. Abattoir or slaughterhouse
An abattoir or slaughterhouse is a place where animals are slaughtered and the meats are sold to wholesalers or consumers. All kinds of people visit abattoirs for the main aim of purchasing meat, and you can’t rule out the fact that both sellers and buyers can be thirsty and would need drinks and snacks.
That is where a vending machine comes in. So, if you are looking for an ideal location to install your vending machines, then an abattoir or slaughterhouse will be an ideal location for you.
18. Bakery
A bakery that is open to the generally public, a place where people can walk in to buy fresh bread and other baked food is yet another best vending machine location.
So, if you are looking for an ideal location to install your vending machines, especially if you are going to be vending chilled bottles of soft drinks, bottled water and energy drinks, ice cream and other similar drinks, then a bakery will be an ideal location for you.
19. Pharmacy Store
Another location that is ideal for installing a vending machine is a pharmacy. Trust me, most pharmacies that have space would usually welcome the installation of vending machines within their store or premises. Interestingly, there is no limit to the stuffs you can retail from your vending machines if it is located within a pharmacy store.
You can retail raffle tickets, movie tickets, soft drinks, bottled water, snacks and even newspapers and magazines amongst others.
20. Car Wash
Car wash is yet another ideal location to locate a vending machine if indeed you want to maximize profits from the business. You will quite agree that a car wash that is strategically located will always welcome customers (car and truck owners) on a regular basis.
Usually it takes time to wash a car and when the customers are waiting, they may want to help themselves with a chilled bottle of soft drink or bottled water and snacks and that is when a vending machine comes in.
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Laundromats
A Laundromat is a facility that offers on-premises coin- or card-operated washers and dryers, and also self-service laundry and dry-cleaning services. As expected, people usually visit laundromats especially during weekends and you cannot rule out the fact that they buy stuffs from vending machines.
The fact that a vending machine can dispense washing soaps and detergents means that such would always be needed within a such facility. Besides that, a vending machine that dispenses other items can also be installed within a laundromat facility.
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Library
Another vending machine location idea for quick profit; a place where vending machines will be highly patronized is a library.
Interestingly, there are several vending machines that can be installed within library facilities but this type of location is ideal for installing vending machines that dispense newspapers, magazines, chilled bottles of soft drinks, bottled water and energy drinks, ice cream and snack foods.
An electric vehicle charging station is yet another ideal location to install a vending machine. An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point, charge point and EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment), is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles.
Please note that this type of location is open to all sorts of vending machines that dispense various stuffs and not just drinks and snacks.
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Gas Station (Fuel Station)
You will quite agree that when people pull off to refill their tanks (car or bike), they most often than not also refill their tummy. Which is why you will find several vending machines located within a gas station.
So, if you are looking for some of the best locations to install your vending machines, then you should talk to owners and management of gas stations in and around your city. You can be rest assured that people will patronize your vending machines as long as you have what they need and the gas station is strategically located.
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An Escape Room Facility
Another ideal location that is suitable for a vending machine and one that can generate profits for the business is an escape room facility.
An Escape Room is a game that involves engaging a team of player(s) inside a closed space or room which they have to resolve by finding clues, solving puzzles and taking part in some activities within a specific time, usually 60 minutes. This type of location is ideal for installing vending machines that dispense newspapers, magazines, soft drinks, bottled water and energy drinks, ice cream and snack foods.
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Cinema/Movie Theater
Cinemas or movie theaters as they are called are some of the best locations to install a vending machine if indeed you are looking towards maximizing profits from the business.
Trust me, people that visit cinemas do not just visit for the purpose of seeing a movie but also to catch fun and enjoy, which is why you will always find vending machines that vend popcorn, drinks, snacks, ice creams and even movie tickets amongst others.
So, if you are contemplating starting a vending machine business that will vending any of the listed items, you can approach the management of a cinema within your city.
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Food Hubs
Another ideal location to install a vending machine in order to maximize profits is in a food hub. A food hub, as defined by the USDA, is “a centrally located facility with a business management structure facilitating the aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, and/or marketing of locally/regionally produced food products.
Food hubs also fill gaps in food systems infrastructure, such as transportation, product storage, and product processing. Please note that this type of location is ideal for installing vending machines that dispense newspapers, magazines, soft drinks, bottled water and energy drinks, ice cream and snack foods.
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Football Viewing Center
A football viewing center no doubt is another ideal location to install a vending machine if you are looking for quick profitability from the business. Football viewing center is a place where football lovers pay a certain fee to watch live football matches.
As expected, when people visit football viewing centers, they would usually buy some soft drinks or water and snacks and even newspapers and sport related magazines. This is why such location is ideal for installing a vending machine.
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Gym Facility
Gym business is gaining more grounds in recent times than it was in the 20th century. People are now more aware of the immeasurable benefits they stand to gain when they enroll in a gym.
It is now obvious to the general public that they can stay healthy, improve their lifestyle and live longer if they exercise regularly which is why they visit gyms. As expected, when people visit gyms, they would want some bottles of soft drinks, water and snacks hence the need to patronize a vending machine that vends these items.
So, if you are looking for an ideal location to install your vending machine, you should approach the owners of gyms in and around your city.
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Karaoke Bar
If you can find a karaoke bar that has loads of visitors on a regular basis, then you should consider installing your vending machine in such location.
But you must first talk to the management to know the kind of stuff they would allow from a vending machine that will be located within their facility. This is because a karaoke bar offers karaoke entertainment along with food and drinks.
Karaoke is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers can sing along with recorded music (or a music video) using a microphone and public address system. Businesses in this industry usually provide limited food and alcohol services as a means of increasing their revenue generation and they can do this from a vending machine.
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Marijuana Cafés
Another location that is ideal to install a vending machine is a marijuana café. A marijuana café is an establishment where patrons visit to purchase and consume cannabis in different forms especially for leisure. This is a location where marijuana consumers and tobacco smokers can purchase and consume or smoke marijuana, tobacco and cigars freely without the fear of breaking the law of a country or city.
Aside from dispensing soft drinks, bottle water and snacks and other items, businesses in this industry usually sell marijuana edibles and they can do this via vending machines.
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Casino Facility
A casino facility is yet another profitable location to install a vending machine if you are looking for a profitable location. A casino is a facility which houses certain types of gambling activities and casinos are commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, entertainment centers, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions et al.
When people visit casinos, they usually buy some soft drinks or water and snacks and even newspapers. This is why such location is ideal for installing a vending machine.
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Family Entertainment Center
Another ideal location that is suitable for hosting a vending machine is a family entertainment center. A family entertainment center, which is often abbreviated as FEC in the entertainment industry, is a small amusement park marketed towards families with small children to teenagers, and often entirely indoors or associated with a larger operation such as a theme park.
When people visit family entertainment centers, they would want soft drinks, water and snacks and even toys and movie tickets hence the need to patronize a vending machine that vends these items. So, if you are looking for an ideal location to install your vending machine, you should approach the owners of family entertainment centers in and around your city.
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Cyber Café or Internet Café
A cyber café or an internet café is one suitable location when it comes to installing a vending machine. A cyber café provides Internet access to the public, usually for a fee.
Interestingly, there are several vending machines that can be installed within a cybercafé facility but this type of location is ideal for installing vending machine that dispenses newspapers, magazines, drinks, ice cream and snack foods.
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Auto Repair Workshop
As long as people use their cars and trucks regularly, there will always be reason for them to visit an auto workshop if indeed they want these vehicles to continue to ply the roads. People visit auto garages for different reasons; it could be for routine servicing, major repair works, or for refurbishing their cars.
For whatever reasons; auto repair garage will always attract people and when people visit, they usually buy stuffs from vending machines. Just ensure that you install your vending machine in an auto repair facility that is centrally located and one that welcomes customers on a regular basis.
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Call Center Facility
Another ideal location that is suitable for the installation of vending machines is a call center facility. A call center is a centralized office facility that is used for the purpose of receiving or transmitting a large volume of requests by telephone; it could be inbound call center, outbound call center or both.
If you are conversant with how call centers operate, you will notice that there is restriction of movement, which is why they usually install vending machines to service their needs.
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Dance Studio
A dance studio is one of the ideal locations that is suitable for the installation of vending machines especially vending machines that vends soft drinks, snacks and bottle water. A dance studio is a space where dancers and aspiring dancers and choreographers learn or rehearse various dancing steps; dance studios are deliberately built and equipped to fit into that purpose.
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Indoor Playground Facilities
Another ideal location to install a vending machine for quick profits is an indoor playground facility. Indoor playgrounds which are also known as indoor play centers are playgrounds located in a facility; shielded from direct impact of climatic conditions.
These facilities are specifically designed for kids to play in, exercise and have fun. The soft – contained structure and play equipment are all wrapped in soft foam so as to absorb the impact when children fall or bounce around them. As expected, when people visit indoor playground facilities, they always need refreshment, hence the need to patronize a vending machine that vends these items.
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Staffing Agency Offices
If you have ever visited a staffing agency office, you will agree that a vending machine, especially one that vends soft drinks, water and snacks is bound to thrive in such location. A staffing agency is an organization that is responsible for helping organizations recruit and train staff to fill vacant position in their organization and also help applicants/those in between jobs secure employment.
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A Zoo Facility
A zoo facility is yet another ideal vending machine location. Trust me, people visit zoos on a regular basis and when they visit, they have it in mind that they are going to spend money and vending machines happen to be one of the areas that they spend their money on.
This type of location is ideal for installing vending machine that dispenses chilled bottles of soft drinks, bottled water, energy drinks, ice cream and snack foods such as potato and corn chips, pretzels, roasted and salted nuts, nut butters, popcorn, hot dogs, sausage and other similar snacks.
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Rage Room Facility
A rage room is a pretty Green business which also known as a smash room or anger room where people can vent their rage by destroying objects within a room.
Clients can break items by throwing them against hard surfaces, throwing other items at them or smashing them with a tool such as a sledgehammer. This type of location is ideal for installing vending machine that dispenses newspapers, magazines, soft drinks, bottled water and energy drinks, ice cream and snack foods.
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Science and Technology Parks
Another ideal location to install a vending machine for quick profitability is a science and technology park. A science and technology park is an organization managed by specialized professionals, whose main aim is to increase the wealth of its community by promoting the culture of innovation and the competitiveness of its associated businesses and knowledge-based institutions.
An ideal science and technology park is a space designed specifically to meet a range of needs, including office space, laboratories, storage, warehouse facilities, meeting rooms and conference centers.
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Museum Facilities
Museum facilities is no doubt one of the facilities that you can easily find vending machines especially vending machines that vends newspapers, magazines, tickets, chilled bottles of soft drinks, bottled water and energy drinks, ice cream and snacks amongst other items.
Interestingly, the Museums industry encompasses a wide variety of institutions, including historical, military, science, wax and art museums and galleries that are engaged in the preservation and exhibition of objects of historical, cultural and educational value.
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Stationery Store (Book Shop)
Another ideal location highly suitable for the installation of a vending machine for quick profitability is a standard stationery store (book shop).
Simply put, a stationery store and office supplies business is a place where ink books, magazines, newspapers, text books, writing pads, greeting cards/postcards and stationery are retailed. Some book stores even go ahead to secure license to operate a mobile money center or a money transfer center and install vending machines.
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Transitional Housing Facilities
Transitional housing facilities is yet another highly suitable location to install vending machines. Transitional housing is temporary housing for certain segments of the homeless population, including working homeless people who are earning too little money to afford long-term housing.
Transitional housing is set up to transition residents into permanent, transitional housing. It is not an emergency homeless shelter, but usually a room or apartment in a residence with support services.
Interestingly, there is no restriction on what you intend vending from a vending machine that is installed in and around a transitional housing facility. You can vend magazine and newspapers, you can vend movie tickets and raffle tickets, bread or frozen food, you can vend just about anything from this location.
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Vehicle Testing Center
Another best vending machine location idea for quick profits that an investor who is interested in the vending machine industry should consider is a vehicle testing center. Vehicle testing stations or auto diagnostics centers carry out diagnostic services that indicate issues associated with the transmission, oil tank, gas tank, exhaust system, and other components.
Please note that this type of location is ideal for installing vending machine that dispenses newspapers, magazines, soft drinks, bottled water and energy drinks, ice cream and snack foods such as potato and corn chips, pretzels, roasted and salted nuts, nut butters, popcorn, hot dogs, sausage and other similar snacks.
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Video Game Lounge
Video game lounge is yet another ideal location suitable for the installation of vending machines. A video game lounge or center is a facility where people go to play different types of video games.
Remember, people visit gaming centers not just for the reason of playing games, but also to rent latest cartridges of games that they do not have or can’t afford. As expected, when people visit video game lounges, they would want some sort of refreshment, hence the need to patronize a vending machine that vends these items.
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VR Lounge Facilities
Virtual Reality (VR) lounges are built specifically for Location-Based Entertainment (LBE). They are multiplayer, intuitive and engaging attractions that are hard to get at home, but more importantly, designed to drive social experience with friends, family and co-workers which makes it is a good business location to install a vending machine especially vending machines that dispenses soft drinks, water, snacks and movie tickets amongst other items.
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Weight Loss Clinic Facility
A weight loss clinic facility is no doubt an ideal location suitable for the installation of vending machines for quick profits.
Weight loss clinics provide non-medical services to clients and primarily assist their clients with losing or maintaining a desired weight. Weight loss clinics offer both individual or group counseling, and also menu and exercise planning and weight and body measurement monitoring et al.
Weight loss clinic may also sell food supplements and other weight-reduction products which can be sold from a vending machine. Aside from the above, they can also install vending machines that vends drinks, water and other stuffs.
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Post Office
A post office facility is an ideal location where you can readily find various types of vending machines. No doubt a post office facility can welcome vending machines that vend different types of items but there are post offices that specifically request for stamps vending machines.
A stamp vending machine is a mechanical, electrical or electro-mechanical device which can be used to automatically vend postage stamps to users in exchange for a pre-determined amount of money, normally in coins.