Newbie! Help! Bar vending?

[VendingWife74]

New to vending- HELP! Besides peanuts, cashews, and condoms what is something you're vending that would or does go over well in a bar? Or steer clear of bars altogether?

I was thinking salt- beer- more salt.. Beer, but it's not enough to keep a machine at the location. Something more I could do, maybe?

Anything will help.

[GagesVending]

Yes, bars have been great to me! I use VendStar's in a couple of dive bars that do $25-50/month each. I put Peanut M&Ms (a must have), Reese's Pieces, sometimes Hot Tamales, sometimes Mike&Ikes. I also have a Hershey's Nuggets machine at one of the bars and it sold out the first month I had it there!

[indiana]

Peanut M&Ms seem to do well everywhere.

[CajunCandy]

I have a couple of bars that I have chip machine,candy machine, hot nut machine on counter I put planters cashews in it, the bar tenders does a good job of unplugging it every night. The chip machine is all chips no snacks, chips is a much better seller, and as for the candy machine hot tamale, m&m peanut, mike & Ike, I give a 10% commission at these bars.

mike

[VFVending]

Yes, bars have been great to me! I use VendStar's in a couple of dive bars that do $25-50/month each. I put Peanut M&Ms (a must have), Reese's Pieces, sometimes Hot Tamales, sometimes Mike&Ikes. I also have a Hershey's Nuggets machine at one of the bars and it sold out the first month I had it there!

What do you consider a dive bar?

[sherlock]

Depending on how old their usual customer is, Boston Baked Beans may do well.

I have a couple bars with an older clientele and they love the BBB's.

[Priusjames]

Welcome!

"What do you consider a dive bar?" I'll chime in...In my experience they are usually dark, open about 6:30 am, and you can find about half of the "regulars" there at any point in time. They may still allow smoking by only hiring workers who smoke (I'm in California, smoking's illegal almost everywhere). Probably a pool table or two, a juke box and/or live music and/or karaoke on Fridays nights by "Big John and his Magic Organ". Furniture is usually outdated and well worn (with rips in many of the dark-red upholstered stools and/or booths), carpet is filthy (or, the "carpet" is sawdust). The bar tender is as likely as not to be a jerk or not care about anything other than giving strong inexpensive drinks in hopes of big tips.

I used to sell to bars, I had a "Triple L" territory for a few years...all bar supplies except liquor. It was a good living. Here's a list of popular items in just about any bar, from memory:

Beer Nuts

P-Nuts of almost any kind

Cashews

Aspirin

Jars of Pickled eggs (better in dive bars)

Jars of Pickled Sausages (better in dive bars)

Chips (Frito Lay products were always very popular, including popcorn and cheese puffs)

Worchestershire sauce

Tabasco

Mr/Mrs T Bloody Mary mix

Glorietta #10 cans tomato juice (everywhere)

Orange Juice in glass bottles (Tropicana, but Triple L brand is the best of all)

Jars of maraschino cherries (red for sure, but green, too)

Fresh Lemons and limes (Inguardia Bros, once a week for cases of these...then I;d sell 5 or 10 at each stop)

Glassware (shotglases, Libby glassware like on-the-rocks, zombie and wine)

Candles (Ruby Red glass disposables are required in all dive bars...the good places like the insertable cartridge type)

And just about any salty or sweet bulk items. If I start to locate in bars, I intend to offer as much of this list as possible! Add-on sales galore.

The owners/bartenders are the hardest thing to figure out...I had to have pretty thick skin to get through all the bad comments, jokes and pricks...but it was worth it at the end of the week.

[GagesVending]

What do you consider a dive bar?

Pretty much what Priusjames said, but a short and sweet: It's what it sounds like, a dive! Old/outdated, sometimes dirty and smelly.

[VendingWife74]

Whooaaa!

Well I guess it is a dive- your normal, smelly- like you said DIVE.... Older, rougher crowd the kind of clients I think sit down to visit- eat nuts kind of people. Was just trying to get suggestions of what kind or candy.

Hmm. Maybe I'll go to an uptown club and try sushi vending?? :-)

Thanks guys!

- Danielle

[Priusjames]

Whooaaa!

Well I guess it is a dive- your normal, smelly- like you said DIVE.... Older, rougher crowd the kind of clients I think sit down to visit- eat nuts kind of people. Was just trying to get suggestions of what kind or candy.

Hmm. Maybe I'll go to an uptown club and try sushi vending?? :-)

Thanks guys!

- Danielle

Danielle-

I didn't mean to scare you away from Dives! The patrons in dives seem more "real" than the people who hang out in hip joints with a cover charge and drinks at thrice the price...the kind of people who don't care that everybody around them knows they are about to eat (insert whatever "unhealthy" vending product you sell here), and if somebody around them pokes fun at their choice, they are as likely as not to get 86'd.

Dive bars were, by far, my best customers. It was much more interesting to service the dives than the classy joints.

Sell, sell, sell!

James

[VendingWife74]

James-

Was being funny. I like dives. :-)

Way more fun! My thoughts exactly that crowd doesn't care what they eat or who's watching, unlike a club scene with Barbie in stillettos wondering if she looks cute drinking an appletini. :-)

- dani

I want beer and nuts crowd! Beer nuts, perhaps. :-))

[Hillbilly]

Are you thinking nuts and candy only? Are you thinking about the condom machines? You could do capsule machines and vend bead necklaces, ping pong balls, nfl shot glasses, condoms, etc. The capsule machines would be way cheaper than a condom machine. If it was me I would create my own mix and design a nice display. Might surprise you.

[moondog]

Wow,

You guys are making me thirsty - Dive bars rule

[GagesVending]

Are you thinking nuts and candy only? Are you thinking about the condom machines? You could do capsule machines and vend bead necklaces, ping pong balls, nfl shot glasses, condoms, etc. The capsule machines would be way cheaper than a condom machine. If it was me I would create my own mix and design a nice display. Might surprise you.

Condom machines? Do you guys pick up dates at the dive bars?!?! lol

[sherlock]

Condom machines? Do you guys pick up dates at the dive bars?!?!

If they do, they'd better leave before the bar turns the houselights on.

And it's a good idea to be dressed and gone before the sun rises, too!

The light is NOT kind to women found in dive-bars.

...not that I have experience with any of this, mind you.

[VendingWife74]

:-)

Hey now!! Only the classiest of chicks go to dives- and only the classiest chicks go home with dive attracted men that use vend condoms!!

I mean hell, it used to be "you had me at hello". When I tell the story of me and my husband

It goes something like this..... " you had me at, I own the nut machine, wanna go home with me!?"

Ha! I did what any classy dive chick would do!! I WENT!!

:-)

Hey thanks for the thoughts and suggestions guys! It was helpful !

- Danielle

[donut]

Welcome!

"What do you consider a dive bar?" I'll chime in...In my experience they are usually dark, open about 6:30 am, and you can find about half of the "regulars" there at any point in time. They may still allow smoking by only hiring workers who smoke (I'm in California, smoking's illegal almost everywhere). Probably a pool table or two, a juke box and/or live music and/or karaoke on Fridays nights by "Big John and his Magic Organ". Furniture is usually outdated and well worn (with rips in many of the dark-red upholstered stools and/or booths), carpet is filthy (or, the "carpet" is sawdust). The bar tender is as likely as not to be a jerk or not care about anything other than giving strong inexpensive drinks in hopes of big tips.

Hey James! You just described our busiest bar in town to a "T" with the exception of the carpet (Has old tiles that are all coming off the floor).....