How Many Snacks Does a Vending Machine Hold? Snacks & Beverage
If you’re curious about the number of snacks a vending machine can hold, check out this detailed guide to learn the answer!
Running a vending machine business, particularly a snack machine one, can initially be a little bit overwhelming. But, it won’t be so once you start running the idea through.
Yet, you’ll soon find yourself wondering, “how many snacks does a vending machine hold?”
An average machine can hold 312 snacks, offering a unique selection of 20 snacks or more, depending on the size of the items stacked inside. However, large snack machines can hold more than double that number of snacks (617 snacks) and offer a variety of items (40 to 60 snacks).
Similarly, smaller machines stack around 152 snacks and display only 12 items.
There’s more to it than just that, though. These numbers could change depending on the size, items stacked, and the slot shapes.
Continue below for more information.
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Snack Vending Machines
Coming in all shapes and sizes, snack vending machines are among the most versatile vending units out there.
As mentioned earlier, smaller machines hold up to 152 snacks, medium-sized ones store 312 snacks, and the large machines hold 617 snacks or more. The variety of snacks could be anywhere from 12 items to 60 items.
Note that these numbers will significantly fall if you go for other options, such as smart vending machines. Smart vending machines are great in terms of accessibility and easy payment methods.
Nevertheless, they’re not the best option if you have a large number of goods to store in a unit, especially if you have more than 300 snacks.
Beverage Vending Machines
Unlike snack vending machines, beverage vending machines can display their goods either through glass or graphically, which will factor into the variety of beverages you’re displaying. Here are their two different types.
Viewing-Window Beverage Vending Machine
As the name suggests, viewing-window beverage machines display an array of beverages through viewing windows.
Typically, that means you can showcase a large number of beverages (up to 45 unique drinks). Therefore, this is the machine you should look for if you have a large variety of drinks.
Graphic Beverage Vending Machine
As for graphic barrage vending machines, you can display drinks by branding them over the front of the machine and not through glass. Therefore, customers won’t see the products stacked through the glass but get to choose the drink depending on what they see on the machine front.
What’s great about these machines is that they can be easily customized with the brands you have.
They also have a large storage capacity for smaller beverage selections (the usual 360 slot capacity or 804 can capacity).
This means that if you have only 8 to 12 types of drinks and large amounts of those drinks, you can sell them with this machine, no sweat!
Food and Drink Vending Machines
Food and drink vending machines almost have the same snack capacity as mentioned above. You can choose from a capacity of 150 to 612 items, depending on your needs and the area where the machine is placed.
Some food and drink vending machines operate in dual temperatures for maximum efficiency, too, so you won’t need to worry about your products getting spoiled in the heat or cold.
However, note that you may have to disperse the capacity over soft drinks and snacks evenly and separate beverages and snacks, so they’re stored in their designated temperatures.
Instead of getting two smaller machines (one for beverages and the other for snacks), this can work as an affordable, middle-ground solution.
Types of Slots to Look For
When buying snack vending machines, there are other details to pay attention to, such as the shape of slots within the machine.
For example, two machines might have the same dimensions, but only one can hold more items due to the slot shape. Here are different types of slots:
Spring Spiral Slots
Spring spiral slots are the most common slots you’ll find in vending machines. They can easily store and vend snacks of all sizes and bottled drinks. You should get spring spiral slots if you’re looking for the best capacity in food and drink vending machines.
S-Shaped Slots
For beverage vending machines, ensure that your machine has these s-shaped slots for optimal capacity. These slots are the best for bottled and canned drinks; they rarely cause the drinks to get stuck. Additionally, they’re just as good as spring spiral slots in terms of capacity.
Belt Slots
If you’re trying to sell snacks with fixed or stiff packaging, you might need more efficient slots to prevent them from getting stuck. The belt slots are a prime recommendation for these goods.
Final Thoughts
As you purchase a snack vending machine, be sure to know exactly the capacity you’ll need, as there are hundreds of snack vending machines with different capacity specifications.
You should also pay attention to the shape and size of the merchandise you have before choosing the machine, as well as the slot shape inside it.
Finally, don’t forget to view the demographic and the market for the vending machine business in your area before purchasing a vending machine, as getting a large-sized snack vending machine might not be what the people in your area need.
