kdub3821 Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I'd like to pick your brains about how to run a cold food machine. What are good machines? How hard are they to set up? Are they hard to fix? What usually breaks? And any other good advice you guys have. Thanks guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I'd like to pick your brains about how to run a cold food machine. What are good machines? How hard are they to set up? Are they hard to fix? What usually breaks? And any other good advice you guys have. Thanks guys Don't do it is the best advice I can offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdub3821 Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 Why do you say that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Why do you say that? Refridgerated food is a money loser, and a royal PITA to deal with. If I have to do any food items its frozen so I can also add icecream and at least make it worthwhile to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdub3821 Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 What food items come frozen l? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfdogs Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 What food items come frozen l? Burgers, pizzas, burritos, quesadillas, hot pockets and breakfast sandwiches all come frozen. Corn dogs, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Cold food machines are almost unused now except by smaller vendors or to fulfill a special request from a large account. The shelf life of the cold food products are the largest drawback to these machines. It's too bad that frozen vending has replaced the cold food machines as they were mostly good, reliable machines that a lot of money was invested into by thousands of vending companies. They were always considered loss-leaders as you rarely had an account that generated any profit from one. This was due to the limited products, capacities and short shelf lives that lead to stale products that must be thrown away. Frozen food machines aren't the perfect solution either because there can be no fresh fruit, juices, milk, yogurt, jello/pudding, salads, etc. put into one. What frozen machines do for the vendor is virtually eliminate stales and then you can, as Mission stated, add the ice cream category which is very profitable and popular. Basically it's a give and take with frozen vending but you will at least have a shot at making a profit with one, though it may be small. If you still wish to run any cold food machines we can tell you some of the pitfalls and equipment preferences when running them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris in bc Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I did very well with my cold food machine. I had a AP revolution. I think crane makes the exact same model...known as a 432. I had hardly any problems except for a brake under the turret. Cost like $200. A $200 dollar expense over 7 years is fine in my books. I would recommend you plug the machine into a dedicated 15 amp or even 20 amp circuit. I made my own sandwiches, ham, turkey, roast beef, cream cheese, and even veggie ( cucumbers and carrots and few tomato pieces). My bread was always whole wheat, 3 slices of meat, real deli cheese ( do not use kraft singles) and spinach, followed by the last slice of bread. Wrapped and marked. I would use cream cheese, cream cheese lite, Nutella, PB and jam, and even soups. I always had fresh apples on the top 2 rows, 3 rows of sandwiches and then baked treats like LIL debbies cakes and then some V8 and Campbell's soups. The bottom rows were for mixed nuts sold in pouches, forks, knives and even small servings of PB and J along with cream cheese single spreadable servings. I just placed a few sandwiches in every week at the same time. You can set the machine to discount the sandwiches about 2 days before they expire! The revolution has some great features! I made a lot of money with mine and I hope you do as well! The revolution is a very good, reliable machine and it served we well! You can also use a cold food machine as a drink machine. I sold Energy drinks, Gatorade and lots of Starbucks glass mocha beverages! I sold my sandwiches for $3bucks and then discounted them to $2.50. You can set the machine to discount the sandwiches for you on a certain date while you are elsewhere! Be creative, a food machine can vend just about everything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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