Anyone have experience in coin/bill operated amusement games?

[kurtadam]

Hi-

I am looking to start a coin/bill operated amusement game route.  I was hoping to buy and place various "bar games" (i.e. Touch screen bartop video games, electronic dartboards, pool tables, jukeboxes, boxing machines, breathalyzers, etc.).  I would place most of them in various bars, clubs, etc.  Does anyone have any experience in this area...so that I may pick your brain for some advice in this realm?  I was hoping to get some general info/advice as well as what games are most sucessful, which locators are best at this, and what the average earnings are for different "bar games"  If anyone has any advice , I would be very grateful.  Alternatively, if you could point me in the right direction to some good advice/stats, I would also appreciate it.

Thanks for all your help...this is a fantastic resource!

Kurt

[BluePlate]

Kurt,

Welcome.  I do not have bar locations, but I am also working on a few. I just signed my first placement for (of all things) a pacman cocktail table.  It should be in within weeks.  I just finished placing my 7th crane machine.  The biggest issue I have had was moving the cranes, I need to rent a truck with a big lift gate every move I make.

Also of course is the investment in the machines is always tough.

[kurtadam]

Hi, and thanks for your reply and welcome note.  I am so glad I was turned on to this forum.  As for your machines...do you plan on placing the pacman game in a bar?  Are you doing it yourself or using a locator?  If so, would you recommend a locator that is good at bar placement?  How do your crane machines do for you?  Where are you placing them?  Do you find yourself having to move the games frequently?  I just bought a Touch screen bartop video game.  I had heard that at the right locations they can do $300-500 a month.  And I figure they are very portable do move locations if my first placement doesnt work out.  And what did you mean by "investment in the machines is always tough?  Thanks again for writing!

[BluePlate]

The pacman game is going into a unique place, it is a sandwich shop that serves bottles of beer and glasses of wine.  It is counter service only, not full service.  They do a big ice crean business in the summer.  I have a bouncy ball machine & gumball machine there (does about  $80/month in the summer) and I have an ATM in there does 200-500 transactions based on the season. 

I have a crane machine in a Chinese buffett, last 2 months average gross was $250/month with a 35% commission.  I have 2 machine in one mall.  They are averaging $1300-$1500/month with a $500/month rent. 

As far as investments in machines is tough - If you want to keep rolling out locations a crane can cost up to $4500 each.  I've been playing in the used market to get ahead.  This weekend it sort of bit me in the butt - a claw fell of the crane and I have no FREAKIN idea what the heck I'm doing to string the claw back up!!!

As far as the touch screen bar top video game they do good.  When I ran a Chili's restaurant, we had one that did $300-$350 a month (If I was getting my proper splits).  I think you will find the good bars always want the latest and greatest machine.  You will also find it can be competitive and bars will sqeeze you for 50%.

[kurtadam]

sounds like you really branch out into a lot of different machines.  That's great...and also what I'd like to do over time.  Do you have one (or a few) favorite machines that you find tend to do better for you on the whole....or is it really just location dependent?  speaking of which...did you locate all the machines yourself...or have you used locators?  last question...was your touch screen doing $300 a month total...or was that your share of the split?  If so, what was the total that the machine was doing?  Thanks again for your insight!

[BluePlate]

I've been doing the auction thing and picking up what I can.  The touch screen was grossing $300 based on my 30% split.  But I think I wasn't getting my entire split.