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Bar locations


Candyguy

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Just wondering what your experience was with bar locations in bulk.  I've had some owners voice concerns about it getting a little rowdy sometimes and people might knock over the machines etc.  I just planned on running a single head.  I was wondering what you experience was in terms of performance and anything happening to your equipment.  

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I have 3 bar/tavern locations. 2 with triple-heads and the other with a dual-head. They were placed years ago before I bought the route and I haven't had any issues with them since taking over the route(other than losing a machine when the bar closed permanently without notice). I really think it depends on what kind of area and what kind of bar you're looking at.

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Bars are my go-to place to drop plastic triples and other "less than perfect" candy machines. Bars are generally more easygoing when it comes to appearances, and yes your machines will get beat up- though the patrons tend to wear down the mechs before they'll knock them over. The top 5 products for bars that I've found are:

 

Mike and Ikes

Gumballs

Chickle Gum

PMM's

and pretty much any nut products.

 

I've picked up gear on location that ran nuts, and they do sell pretty well in most bars, but the expense and maintenance didn't really justify the slightly faster selling rate, and I just switched over to Skittles, which sell fine too. Bars are great because they inherently have "regular" customers- and if you get someone who "regularly" uses your machine, you'll be in a very good place money-wise. Good luck!

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  • 2 months later...

I put a brand new northwestern in a restaurant that served beer. Go by a mouth later to eat, machine is doing good. 3 months later when we went to rob it, machine is gone I ask the waitress where it is and it seems my nice new pretty machine was involved in a bar( this isn't a bar) fight. Ask where it is and they ... wait for it ... THREW IT AWAY ugh. They did save my quarters for me though $23 and change ^$% the #$%# stand cost more than that.  :-\  :-\  :-\  :-\

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Was your name and number on it?

That's a disadvantage of long service cycles. Most charity stops only need done every. Three to six months ( or longer) but there is a risk.

 

I put my number on everything, I rob all of money on a 4 month basis. The dang place is 5 miles from my house. :'(

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I put my number on everything, I rob all of money on a 4 month basis. The dang place is 5 miles from my house. :'(

That is always a concern of mine. These business owners don't understand how much those things cost and think we won't mind if they just take it upon themselves to do whatever with it. I always give the owners my card and tell them my number is on the machine if they have questions, comments or concerns. And then I cross my fingers and hope they actually do call. 

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That is always a concern of mine. These business owners don't understand how much those things cost and think we won't mind if they just take it upon themselves to do whatever with it. I always give the owners my card and tell them my number is on the machine if they have questions, comments or concerns. And then I cross my fingers and hope they actually do call. 

 

I quit buying new machines after the "bar" fight. I've always tried to buy used but I enjoy just opening a box a putting the machine out. This is a nice restaurant 

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That is always a concern of mine. These business owners don't understand how much those things cost and think we won't mind if they just take it upon themselves to do whatever with it. I always give the owners my card and tell them my number is on the machine if they have questions, comments or concerns. And then I cross my fingers and hope they actually do call.

Right on. These owners could really care less about having your machines in their businesses.

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I put a brand new northwestern in a restaurant that served beer. Go by a mouth later to eat, machine is doing good. 3 months later when we went to rob it, machine is gone I ask the waitress where it is and it seems my nice new pretty machine was involved in a bar( this isn't a bar) fight. Ask where it is and they ... wait for it ... THREW IT AWAY ugh. They did save my quarters for me though $23 and change ^$% the #$%# stand cost more than that.  :-\  :-\  :-\  :-\

The thing that I've probably learned the most being in this business is the psychology of people. Some people absolutely cannot stand the thought of you making a few quarters. I've had businesses say yes, a few days later they don't want the machine after it made a few sales, so they think of excuses.

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The thing that I've probably learned the most being in this business is the psychology of people. Some people absolutely cannot stand the thought of you making a few quarters. I've had businesses say yes, a few days later they don't want the machine after it made a few sales, so they think of excuses.

 

I've had a few of those too

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Alas, losing a few units is the name of the game. Eventually everyone will lose a few, and it does suck when it happens. "Bar Fight" is a new one on me though. :rolleyes:

 

I lose quite a few but in a nice restaurant having a bar fight

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I put a brand new northwestern in a restaurant that served beer. Go by a mouth later to eat, machine is doing good. 3 months later when we went to rob it, machine is gone I ask the waitress where it is and it seems my nice new pretty machine was involved in a bar( this isn't a bar) fight. Ask where it is and they ... wait for it ... THREW IT AWAY ugh. They did save my quarters for me though $23 and change ^$% the #$%# stand cost more than that. :-\:-\:-\:-\

3 months 23 dollars?

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I brought a 4 column sticker machine to an event I had at a bar on a thursday night once and ended up having to leave it there over the weekend. Not a permanent location for me but it had way way more cash in it on Monday when I picked it back up than I had expected. Definitely something to think about.


That was from and industry publication that came out years ago. Maybe 04 or so.

Does anyone have any updated info? That's more than a decade now...

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've got machines in a couple of bars and I'm still trying to find the best locations within them to place the machine.  One bar it is by the pool tables and does pretty well, but the other bar doesn't have pool tables, so it's over in a corner and the use varies.  

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  • 6 months later...
4 minutes ago, Determined said:

About to place my first machine in a bar. Anyone ever try gumballs in a bar?

I have a few bar locations. Only one of them did I try gumballs. Didn't sell too will. One of them was selling mentos when I purchased the route. Still sells pretty well. It is an old dentyne ice machine, but it vends 2 mentos for $.25.

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