Will this location actually work?
The machine matters less than where it stands. Answer six questions about your site and this tool grades the placement A–D — not against an abstract score, but against the real break-even of the specific machine you're considering. A $2,495 refurb can be an A at an address where a $7,950 freezer is a C.
Questions we actually get
What makes a good vending machine location?
Four things dominate: how many people are on site on a typical day, how long they stay, whether they can easily buy food or drinks somewhere else, and whether anything nearby already sells snacks. Access hours matter too — a 24/7 location out-earns a business-hours one on the same headcount. This calculator weighs all six factors.
How many people does a vending machine location need?
There's no single threshold — it depends on the machine's monthly cost. A location with 50–100 people a day can comfortably support an affordable machine, while a premium freezer at the same site might not pencil. That's why this tool grades your location against the specific machine's own break-even instead of quoting one magic number.
What percentage of people actually buy from a vending machine?
Capture rates vary widely by setting — a laundromat where people wait with idle time converts far better than a lobby people walk through. Defaults in this tool are modeled per location type from published revenue ranges, and the slider lets you override them if you know your traffic.
Can Vending Concepts check my location before I buy?
Yes. Submit your numbers through the form on this page and a specialist will compare your site against comparable placements we've supplied — and tell you honestly if it's a bad fit. No obligation.
Keep running the numbers.
Want a human to check your numbers?
Tell us the location and the budget — we’ll match it against comparable placements and quote you the right machine, not the biggest one.