Pushed out by Vendstar!

[caserri]

Well I got a call from a location the other day. (Rob this is the one we spoke of) A small family restaurant that I had a single head in for a little over a year now. The caller informed me that my machine was empty. My first reaction was joy since that should mean that the coin box was full. After I thought about it for a min, I realized that this particular location never even comes close to selling out. I have it on a 6 week cycle and it rarely turns a bag of PMM in that time. So naturally, I was curious.

When I arrived at the location, The first thing I noticed, right through the front window, was a Vendstar machine sitting where mine had been. Until that day, I was the only vendor in the place. Had been that way since the beginning.

Once I got inside I looked at my machine, stuffed in the corner. From across the room I could tell that it had been broken. The coin mech handle was pointing at 12 and 6 instead of 9 and 3. Sure enough, the mech was broken and it gave away all the PMM. All someone had to do was sit there and crank it dry.

Well to add insult to injury, I was now faced with a shiny new Vendstar in my spot. That new machine stood proudly over my hunkered down piece of sh** like it was solely responsible for the damages inflicted.

Being an optimistic fellow, I did notice that the three selections in the Vendstar were reg MM's/GB/M&I. Great! I thought. At least I can still offer the PMM!

It was about that time that the lady who works there came out and told me that the owner was going to keep the easy bake and mine had to go. "Thats OK", I told her. It happens. I just thanked her for the support they gave to the NCCS over the last year and gathered my machine and left.

My thought as I was leaving the restaurant was "If the kids did this to my machine, I can only imagine how long that plastic vendstar will last."  For those of you who care, the machine I had in there was a LYPC.

In the end, its probably for the best because I really needed to re-locate that machine anyway. It was averaging about $3.00 a month. This location is the perfect example of a location that will not support a triple. The new vendor will figure that out in a month or two I'm sure.

Steve

[polecat]

Love your discriptive and colorful writing style Steve:). Could clearly visualize your poor, broken, sulking machine "hunkered down" in the corner...

... And if the kids did this to a metal mech, the shoot doors will be broken-off the Vendstar within weeks.  You can bet on it.   Another future buy opportunity on EBay perhaps?  -sp

[acvending]

.....It was about that time that the lady who works there came out and told me that the owner was going to keep the easy bake and mine had to go....

Maybe I am not the first on here to use that description but I think my previous Easy Bake Oven remarks regarding plastic machines may have been rubbing off  , though I use that primarily to describe my two Ultravends, which by the way I finally placed one, in a auto tire and service center.

[West Coast Vend LLC]

 

Steve,

Sorry to hear about the demise of your machine. Although by the sound of it, it could be a blessing after all. 3 bucks a month doesn't cover the gas it costs to collect. Like you said, the new guy will soon find out that he has got way to much candy in the place to support $3 in sales per month.

 

 

Gary

 

[new2this]

Caserri,

"easy bake"  I don't know who coined the phrase but too funny.  Well, that answers my question about purchasing a LYPC.

ACVENDING,

I had a few Vendstars and got rid of them as quickly as you can say ebay.  However, I came across a guy getting rid of a few NIB Ultravends for $50.00.  Since you own two of them.  Do you like the machines although they are all plastic?  Are the Ultravends the same as buying Vendstars?  If so, I'll pass.  For those who have had better luck than I did with Vendstars, great!  Keep counting those quarters.

Coop

 

[caserri]

• Steve,

If you liked that description, check out this thread! You will really enjoy the descriptive writings there!  

http://www.vendiscuss.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=242&forum_id=1

• AC,

Yes I believe I got the easy bake term from you. Your royalty check is in the mail. Maybe, with your permission, we can coin it as a VENDiscuss phrase?

• Gary,

Those are my feelings exactly. I needed to move it and sometimes it takes something like this to light a fire under my butt!

• Coop,

Please dont let my story deter you from buying LYPC. They are fine machines and this particular one has seen many many vends.

Steve  

[lurker]

Hi Steve,

You really ought to write a book. LOL

I loved reading your tale of woe.

"That new machine stood proudly over my hunkered down piece of sh** like it was solely responsible for the damages inflicted."

and

"...the owner was going to keep the easy bake..." (Whoever wrote it.)

Bwaaaahaaaahaaaa!!!!!!!!!

I gotta a feelin' you're right about that machine not lasting long there.

'specially when you consider the selection of candy in it.

(I personally would have thought something along the lines of Polar Mint Candy, or Chocolate Mints, and Chicle Tab Polarmint Gum, etc... would have been a better selection for a restaurant. At least it would have given the machine a fighting chance of survival.)

Be that as it may, you're still right about the kids ripping off those chute doors.

So what's it gonna take to fix that LYPC coin mech? Is it repairable?

Dave

[acvending]

Actually for a plastic machine the Vendstars aren't bad. Their biggest benefits are the removable canisters and good size product windows, plus while they aren't the most stylish their color is at least neutral.  I don't like the Ultravends at all. Reasons are for one the fact that they look like toys, especially with the neon colors they come in, though in a store that caters to children like a toy store or similar place that could be a benefit. Their appearance and construction is why I coined the phrase Easy Bake Ovens or Fisher Price machines. Other issues with them are they have small product windows and they do not have removable canisters so servicing will be annoying. Also did not like the fact that they require two separate keys for each of the two top locks not to mention the one needed for the back door. 3 keys for one machine is stupid so unless the guy on Ebay has already done so, to correct that issue you'd have to replace the locks with new ones and have them keyed alike or juggle 3 keys for each machine.

new2this wrote:

Caserri,

"easy bake"  I don't know who coined the phrase but too funny.  Well, that answers my question about purchasing a LYPC.

ACVENDING,

I had a few Vendstars and got rid of them as quickly as you can say ebay.  However, I came across a guy getting rid of a few NIB Ultravends for $50.00.  Since you own two of them.  Do you like the machines although they are all plastic?  Are the Ultravends the same as buying Vendstars?  If so, I'll pass.  For those who have had better luck than I did with Vendstars, great!  Keep counting those quarters.

Coop

 

[acvending]

Oh Steve, maybe we can work out a commission rather than a royalty. Everytime someone says the phrase "Easy Bake" on here I get a 1% cut of your monthly revenue that comes from all your bulk candy machines.

Cha ching, its already been said twice in this thread not including me. :cool:

[lurker]

Let me help ya out ther Adam,

Easy-Bake

Easy-Bake

Easy-Bake

Easy-Bake

Easy-Bake

Easy-Bake

Easy-Bake

Easy-Bake

Easy-Bake

Easy-Bake

There ya go, 10% more of the monthly take.

Dave

[ahha]

Everything happens for a reason you know?  Since you didn't re-locate the poor producing machine you got kicked out. Brighter days ahead for that soldier.

Kinda like when you hate your job but won't quit . And then later on they lay you off or fire you.

[T BIRD]

Geez.......how did I miss this thread?  Great reading.  Thanks for sharing that Mr. Steve.

[kulza]

Good story.

It's always nice to learn what other venders are doing.