Why Vending Meal Items Are the Secret to More Sales, Profits, and Loyal Customers

If you’ve ever thought that meal items are only worth stocking in your larger vending machine accounts, think again. Adding vending machine meals to all your locations is one of the simplest ways to increase total sales, profits, and customer loyalty.

Meal Items Drive Multi-Item Purchases

In our business, when a customer purchased a vending meal item - like a sandwich, burrito, or salad:

• 80% of the time, they bought two or more items.

• 50% of the time, they bought three or more.

Adding meal items isn’t just selling a sandwich - it encourages additional purchases like drinks and snacks, multiplying your vending machine profits.

Think About It Like Your Own Kitchen

When you grab lunch at home, do you stop at a sandwich? Probably not. You might grab a drink, chips, or a cookie. Vending customers behave the same way.

Position your vending machines as complete meal solutions. Customers rely on your machines for lunch, snacks, and convenience - and they buy more in every transaction.

The Profit Numbers Don’t Lie

Soda Only Cost $1.00 - Retail $2.00 = Profit $1.00

Add Chips Cost +$0.64 - Retail +$1.50 = Profit +$0.86

Add Sandwich Cost +$1.95 - Retail +$3.50 = Profit +$1.55

Totals: Vends 3 - Retail $7.00 - Profit $3.41

Offering a simple meal combo can more than triple your profit per customer compared to a single drink sale.

Case Studies:

Motorcycle Retailer and Repair - Sales increased 63% over previous operator when we added meal items, even with lower prices and fewer machines

Manufacturing Facility - Sales increased from $2,200/month to over $11,500/month by upgrading equipment and adding meals. An increase of ~ 423% over the previous operator's sales.

Better for Employees and Employers

A full meal from your vending machine costs around $7.00, cheaper than fast food. Employees stay in the building, eat well, and return to work faster. Employers benefit because there’s less downtime, traffic delays, and lost productivity.

No Frozen Machines? No Problem

Even without a frozen machine, you can sell vending machine meals successfully. Most frozen items last two weeks after thawing and can be placed in a combo machine at or below 41°F.

Pro Tip: Start Small and Track Sales

Don’t overload your machines at first. Start with three of each meal item:

• If items sell out before expiration, add more.

• If they don’t sell, reduce par or try something new.

Keep adjusting until you find your sweet spot - the balance between freshness, demand, and maximum profit.

Meal Item Options That Sell Well

• Raybern’s Philly Steak Sandwiches

• Sam’s Club or Costco Brand Cheeseburgers, Chicken, & Spicy Chicken Sandwiches

• Lunchables & Salami Plates

• Uncrustables

• Burritos and Hot Pockets (fit in bar rows)

💡 Tip: Remove refrigeration shelves if placing cold items in chip or bar rows to maintain proper temperatures.

The Takeaway

Adding meal items to every vending machine isn’t just convenient - it’s profitable. When customers view your machines as a complete meal solution, you increase sales, boost profits, and build customer loyalty.

Start testing sandwiches, burritos, and drink combos across all your accounts - even smaller ones - and watch your revenue grow.