I own a vending machine business besides the restaurant and 30% is usually the high end,with 35% being for skating rinks and other ultra high kid traffic locations.while most of the time candy can be done succesfully with just one location,the more profitable toy “racks” usually are more difficult to make money with but not impossible.if you go with a double put gumballs in one head and skittles in the other for max profits.if memory serves about 8 skittles.both items are sold at sams club along with the Northwestern machines I recomend and stand. d9phoneix either has a busy restaurant or desperate vendors with extra machines!I really like wowie zowie or oscars wild ride which are interactive gumball machines,they put on a good show for kids and adults alike and sell gumballs which have the highest profit margin if you have an electrical outlet and want to amuse your customers go that route. the toy “racks” are a different story.with just one location they are a bit harder to make profitable.I have several locations,and if a toy doesnt sell in one location I put it in another,although usually you try to find that combination of toys that does well in most locations.With a toy that sells poorly you can either let it sit until it runs out and make your money back very slowly since there are 250 pieces in a case, or swap it for another and once you have a few cases of slow sellers,buy a mystery mix display and sell your left over slow sellers that way.in a busy restaurant it may be worth it although you will spend closer to $800 as a one time investment and itll never break.if you have your mind set on it, I have an extra I can sell you in great condition,or put it on ebay and sell it to you there. a 5 way rack will suit your needs with 2- 2 inch machines on top at 75 cents,2 one inch at the bottom at 50 cents and one head at a quarter for gumballs.in my experience,when I go find new locations,the locations with empty and or dirty machines are locations in which usually the owner has machines thinking he is going to get rich with one or two machines at his restaurants,or gets too greedy.when reality sets in the machines are neglected.the vending machine guy has expenses too,if its a legitimate business,just like we do.I can give you more advice if youd like,but whatever you do DO NOT go with a company called Service Vending as they are the walmarts of the vending world.I network with other vending machine operators (like we do here) and can put you in contact with someone you can trust,that wont count the quarters in his van and what not. I do not reccomend video games unless you know how to fix them.the split on a video game is 50-50 and the vending guy pays the licensing that most states need for it to be legal. in illinois its the liquor license guy that also checks vending machines.the toy gumball machines dont need anything in Illinois but it varies by State.
