Making a living owning/servicing vending machines?

[gytalf2000]

Can one make a good living nowadays owning a number of vending machines? Has anybody on the dope ever done this?


(I have no desire to try it myself, I just started wondering about this the other day. I have a vague recollection of one of my fairly-distant relatives doing this as a side-business for a while in the early to mid-1970s, but he did not rely on it as his main income. All the relatives that I could ask, have long since died.)

[Chronos]

An uncle of mine is in a related business, though his job is mostly maintaining game machines (video games, pinball, etc.). It's enough for him to support his family, though he's not exactly rolling in the dough.

[dracoi]

I have clients who have tried it. The most successful gets about $2000 in profit each year with minimal time invested. (Note: profit is tax-basis, after calculating depreciation... this person has $12,000 in machines and has not fully recouped the cost).

The more typical scenario is that you spend $500-$2000 on machines and never see a dime in profit.

If you want to get into it, look for used machines.

[ASAKMOTSD]

My father made his living in vending machines. This was from the 1950's through the early 1980's. It is extremely hard work and you appreciate why it is not a "good deal" when someone gets a "free" candy bar. That cost of that candy bar came out of someone's pocket.

You also have the hassles of handling all that cash - in coin - every day. There is the risk of robbery, the cost of the quipment to sort it & count it, and the sheer effort in carrying a couple thousand dollars in rolled coins to the bank.

Still, he did live fairly comfortably and supported a family of 4 pretty much.