How much work does owning a vending route take?

Vending routes involve regular work. The machines sell without you, but someone still has to fill them, empty them, fix them and answer the calls. Before you buy, picture the owner’s actual week and ask who does each job today. The sections below break that week into its parts, then suggest ways to check what the seller tells you.

Restocking and rotation

Each run means checking what sold, loading the van, driving between sites and filling machines. Perishable items add a second job, which is checking dates and pulling anything that has expired. Routes with many sites far apart take longer than a tight cluster. Ask how often each machine is visited and whether the schedule changes with the seasons or with a busy site.

Cash, refunds and breakdowns

Coins and bills have to be collected, counted and banked, and card readers need to be kept working. Customers lose money in jammed machines and expect refunds, and machines break at inconvenient moments. Ask how refunds are handled, who repairs equipment, how long a typical fix takes and whether parts and spare machines are part of the sale.

Site owners and paperwork

Every location is a relationship. Site owners notice empty machines, mess and slow repairs. There is also bookkeeping for stock, commissions and cash. Read how to check location agreements on a vending route so you know which parts of those relationships transfer to you.

Testing the seller’s account

• Ask for run sheets, supplier invoices and cash-count records that show the real routine.
• Ride along on a few runs, if the seller agrees.
• Ask any employees what they handle, and what only the owner does.
• Plan a paid handover period so you learn the route before you run it alone.