How to find vending locations

A good site has people who stay a while, few other options nearby, and someone who wants a machine there. Foot traffic alone is not enough, and a site that looks busy can still sell little.

What makes a site worth asking for

People stay for hours. Staff, students, residents and people waiting tend to buy more than people walking past.
Few alternatives. A shop next door or a free staff kitchen can take your sales.
A visible spot. Machines in hidden corners or behind locked doors tend to underperform.
Practical basics. Safe power, floor space, a clear delivery route, and strong mobile signal at the exact spot if you use a card reader.
Access. You need to get in when the machine needs you, including after a fault.
A person who wants it. A manager with staff asking for a machine will make life easier than one who was talked into it.

Where to look

Think about who is stuck in a place without easy food or drink. Common places to try include workshops and factories, warehouses, offices with break rooms, apartment buildings, hotels, gyms, care homes, garages, laundromats and waiting rooms. Each has its own rules, and schools and government buildings may have formal procurement or food rules, so check before you pitch.

How to approach a site

Visit at the busy time and count people. Look at what they carry and where they go on breaks.
Ask for the person who runs the building or the staff area, not whoever is at the front desk.
Keep it short: what you would provide, who to call about a fault, and that you handle stock and service.
Leave a one-page note and a way to reach you, then follow up once or twice. Do not pester.
Be honest about what you can do. A promise of a fast repair you cannot keep will cost you the site.

Questions to ask before you say yes

How many people use the space each day, and when?
Is there a machine there already? Who owns it, how does it sell, and why did any earlier vendor leave?
When can you service it? Are there loading dock limits, elevator restrictions or security steps?
Is the exact spot written down, so it cannot be moved somewhere quieter?
Who is responsible for theft, damage and injury claims?
Is commission expected, and is it fixed or negotiable?
Can you begin with a trial period?

Be wary of paying for locations

Some companies charge to find sites. Some are real, but it is worth being careful. The FTC has acted against location firms it said charged $150 to $6,000 and then did little or nothing, and it warns about false promises of locations in business opportunity pitches. Ask exactly what you get, what happens if a site fails, and what the refund terms are in writing. Speak to past customers you chose yourself.

Compare sites with a score, not a feeling

The free scorecard rates a site on nine questions out of 45. It will not predict sales, but it stops one friendly manager from outweighing poor signal and a shop next door.

If you want the worked-out version

First Vending Site PackFour printable worksheets, including a site visit checklist and a break-even worksheet.

Vending Location Pitch PackLocation scorecard, emails, a walk-in note, a one-page proposal, objection answers and a placement terms checklist.

First Vending Machine 30-Day PlanA week-by-week plan for deciding, budgeting and starting a first machine.

Sources

Checked November 2026. Several are sellers of machines or readers, so treat their prices as a starting point and get your own quotes.