# How to Find Vending Machine Locations (Step by Step)

URL: https://leadraft.co/blog/how-to-find-vending-machine-locations
Summary: Find vending machine locations: the business types that work, foot-traffic signals in Maps data, a route-sized list, the pitch and how deals are set up.

[ All articles](https://leadraft.co/blog)

# How to find vending machine locations: a list-building method that works

Find vending machine locations: the business types that work, foot-traffic signals in Maps data, a route-sized list, the pitch and how deals are set up.

The Leadraft teamLeadraft

Published

November 3, 2026

Read time

9 min

Category

Playbook

To find vending machine locations, pick an area you can service on one route, list every business of the types where people wait or work long shifts (auto shops, laundromats, gyms, hotels, apartment complexes, warehouses, clinics), rank them by hours, review count and distance from the nearest store, then visit the managers with a sample agreement. Google Maps has all of those businesses with their phone numbers and hours, so the list is the easy part. Winning the spot comes down to a short, specific pitch to the person who controls the space.

## What types of businesses are good vending machine locations?[#](#what-types-of-businesses-are-good-vending-machine-locations)

The best locations combine three things: lots of people, time to spend, and no easy alternative nearby. A busy office next door to a convenience store is a worse spot than a quieter warehouse with a night shift and nothing open for two miles.

Scroll horizontally if needed →

| Business type | Why it works | Maps search terms | What to ask the manager |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Auto repair shops, dealership service lounges | Customers wait an hour or more | "auto repair", "car dealer", "tire shop", "oil change" | How many cars a day? Do people wait on site? |
| Laundromats | Customers wait through wash and dry cycles | "laundromat", "coin laundry" | Busiest days? Any snacks sold now? |
| Gyms and fitness studios | Drinks and protein snacks; long opening hours | "gym", "fitness center", "24 hour gym" | Members per day? Existing drink contract? |
| Hotels and motels | Guests after hours, no restaurant on site | "hotel", "motel", "extended stay hotel" | Rooms? Is there a market or front desk shop? |
| Apartment complexes | Residents nearby around the clock | "apartment complex", "property management" | Units? Clubhouse or laundry room space? |
| Warehouses, manufacturing, distribution | Shift workers, short breaks, often remote | "warehouse", "distribution center", "manufacturer" | Headcount per shift? Breakroom? |
| Medical waiting rooms | People wait, often with family | "urgent care", "hospital", "dialysis center" | Daily patients? Rules on food in the waiting area? |
| Barber shops, car washes, small offices | Lower volume; good for a single small machine | "barber shop", "car wash", "office park" | Space and power near the waiting area? |

The 365 Retail Markets guide makes the same split: high-traffic sites like hospitals, gyms and malls; waiting-room businesses like doctor's offices and auto repair shops; breakrooms in factories and warehouses; and smaller sites like laundromats and barber shops. Schools and government buildings can work but come with their own access, security and nutrition rules.

## How do I judge foot traffic from Google Maps data?[#](#how-do-i-judge-foot-traffic-from-google-maps-data)

You can't see foot traffic directly in a lead list, but three columns are good proxies: review count, opening hours and category. Use them to decide who to visit first, then confirm with the manager.

1.  **Review count.** More reviews usually means more customers through the door. Compare within a category: a laundromat with 300 reviews sees more people than one with 12.
2.  **Hours.** Long hours, early opening and weekend hours mean more selling time. "Open 24 hours" is the strongest signal, especially for gyms, hotels and some warehouses.
3.  **Category.** Waiting-room categories (auto repair, laundromat, urgent care) beat walk-in, walk-out categories (dry cleaner, bank) at the same review count.
4.  **Competition nearby.** Open the map around each candidate. A convenience store or vending bank 100 feet away halves your argument. Your own route is part of this: being 20 minutes from your next stop costs you on every restock.
5.  **The Popular times chart.** Google Maps shows it on many listings in the app. It isn't part of a typical export, so check it on your shortlist by hand.

Then ask on the visit. A manager can tell you headcount per shift or cars per day in one sentence, and that number is what you price the deal on.

## How do I build a list of vending locations in my area?[#](#how-do-i-build-a-list-of-vending-locations-in-my-area)

Build one list for the whole route, not one search at a time. A radius you can drive in a morning is the right unit.

1.  **Draw your route area.** Pick a center point (your storage unit or home) and a radius you can restock from in one trip, often 5 to 15 miles.
2.  **Search each business type** from the table above inside that area. Use several terms per type: "auto repair", "auto body shop", "tire shop" and "oil change" are different categories on Maps.
3.  **Split big searches.** One Google Maps search shows only around 120 results, so a dense area needs several searches by neighborhood or ZIP code. See [why Google Maps stops at 120 results](https://leadraft.co/blog/google-maps-120-results-limit).
4.  **Merge into one spreadsheet** with business, category, address, phone, hours, rating and reviews. Remove duplicates by address.
5.  **Score each row.** A simple score: 2 points for waiting-room categories, 2 for 24-hour or 14+ hours a day, 1 for reviews above the category median, minus 2 if a store is within a short walk.
6.  **Plan visits by cluster.** Sort the top-scored rows by ZIP code and visit five or six on one trip.

Draw the area you sell into. Businesses inside it count; the ones a search drags in from outside are labeled and never charged.

## Worked example: one route, one morning[#](#worked-example-one-route-one-morning)

Assumptions, for illustration only, not measured: a 10-mile radius in a mid-sized US metro. You search eight business types and get these counts after removing duplicates.

Scroll horizontally if needed →

| Business type | Found (assumed) | Pass the score (assumed) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Auto repair and tire shops | 140 | 35 |
| Laundromats | 30 | 12 |
| Gyms | 45 | 10 |
| Hotels and motels | 25 | 8 |
| Apartment complexes | 90 | 15 |
| Warehouses and manufacturers | 60 | 20 |
| Total | 390 | 100 |

If you can visit 6 locations in a morning and do two mornings a week, 100 shortlisted sites take about 8 weeks to cover (100 ÷ 12 ≈ 8.3). If one visit in ten ends in a placement, that's about 10 machines placed from one list. The one-in-ten rate is an assumption. Track your own: visits, managers reached, agreements signed, and which business types convert.

## Who do I pitch, and what do I say?[#](#who-do-i-pitch-and-what-do-i-say)

Pitch the person who controls the space: the owner at a small shop, the general manager at a hotel or gym, the property manager at an apartment complex, and the plant or office manager at a warehouse. A front-desk employee can't say yes, but they can tell you who can and when they're in.

The 365 Retail Markets guide recommends going in person, bringing a business card, product and machine brochures, pricing and a sample agreement, and asking whether they're happy with their current provider. Measure the space and check for power before you promise a machine.

### Call script: find the decision maker[#](#call-script-find-the-decision-maker)

```
"Hi, is this {{business}}? My name is [Name], I run a local vending
company in {{city}}. Quick question: who decides on things like a
snack or drink machine for your waiting area? ... Great, when is
she usually in? I'd like to drop by for five minutes with a sample
agreement."
```

### In-person pitch[#](#in-person-pitch)

```
"I put snack and drink machines in places where people wait.
I stock it, clean it and fix it; you don't handle anything.
Your customers get something while they wait, and you get
[a share of sales / a monthly fee / a free service].
If it isn't working for you, either of us can end it with
30 days' notice. Can I show you where I'd put it?"
```

Fill in the brackets with the structure you actually offer, and keep the notice period in the script the same as the one in your agreement.

## How are vending placement deals usually structured?[#](#how-are-vending-placement-deals-usually-structured)

Deals are negotiated location by location, and the three common structures are a commission on sales, a flat monthly fee, or free placement. Smaller sites often take free placement for the convenience; busy sites and institutions often ask for a share.

Scroll horizontally if needed →

| Structure | How it works | Watch out for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Commission | Location gets a percentage of sales | Define whether it's on gross or net sales, and how often you pay |
| Flat fee | Location gets a fixed amount each month | You carry the risk if sales are slow |
| Free placement | No payment; the location gets the service | Easiest yes, but easy for a competitor to outbid later |

We haven't found a reliable, authoritative source for typical commission rates, so we don't quote one. The best local benchmark is public: colleges, school districts and cities often put vending out to bid, and their solicitations state what they require. Search your state or city procurement portal for "vending services" and read two or three.

Put the deal in writing. A short agreement covers placement, power, the fee or commission and how it's calculated, the term, termination notice, access for restocking and removal of the machine at the end. If you grow past 20 machines, the FDA's vending machine labeling rule applies: operators of 20 or more machines must disclose calories for the food they sell, with some exemptions.

## What rules apply when you contact these businesses?[#](#what-rules-apply-when-you-contact-these-businesses)

Calls to business lines for a business service are mostly exempt from the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule and the National Do Not Call Registry, but not from its ban on misrepresentations, and autodialed or prerecorded calls and texts to cell phones need consent under the TCPA. We cover this in [how to find businesses to cold call](https://leadraft.co/blog/how-to-find-businesses-to-cold-call). If you email, follow CAN-SPAM. Google's Maps Platform terms also restrict scraping and building lists from Maps content, which is a contract issue separate from these laws; get legal advice for your situation.

If you'd rather not search one category at a time, Leadraft finds every business of the types you choose inside the radius you draw, with phone, hours and review columns, and you can see a free masked preview before you pay. Try it on your route on the [free plan](https://leadraft.co/pricing), or look at sample exports for [gyms](https://leadraft.co/leads/gyms), [auto repair shops](https://leadraft.co/leads/auto-repair-shops), [hotels](https://leadraft.co/leads/hotels) and [property management companies](https://leadraft.co/leads/property-management-companies).

## FAQ[#](#faq)

### What are the best places to put a vending machine?[#](#what-are-the-best-places-to-put-a-vending-machine)

Places where people wait, work long shifts or stay a while, and where buying something nearby is inconvenient: auto repair shops and dealership service lounges, laundromats, gyms, hotels, apartment complexes, warehouses, manufacturing sites and medical waiting rooms. Ask the manager how many people are on site each day before you commit a machine.

### How do I find vending machine locations near me?[#](#how-do-i-find-vending-machine-locations-near-me)

Draw a radius you can service on one route, search Google Maps for each good business type inside it, and put the results in one spreadsheet with phone, hours and review counts. Then visit or call the managers, starting with long-hours, high-review sites that have no store close by.

### How much commission do vending locations get?[#](#how-much-commission-do-vending-locations-get)

It's negotiated. Common structures are a percentage of sales, a flat monthly fee, or free placement where the location gets the convenience and no payment. Busy sites and institutions that put vending out to bid tend to ask for more. Read a few public vending bids from local colleges or cities to see what they require.

### Do I need a contract for a vending machine location?[#](#do-i-need-a-contract-for-a-vending-machine-location)

You should have one. A short placement agreement covers where the machine goes, who pays for power, the commission or fee and how it's calculated, the term, how either side can end it, and what happens to the machine at the end. Have a lawyer review your template once.

### Should I cold call or visit vending locations?[#](#should-i-cold-call-or-visit-vending-locations)

Visit when you can. Vending is a small, physical decision, and managers respond to someone who has measured the space and brought a sample agreement. Call first to learn who decides and when they're in, then go in person.

## Sources[#](#sources)

1.  365 Retail Markets, [How to find vending locations](https://365retailmarkets.com/blog/how-find-vending-locations) (location types, in-person pitch, what to bring).
2.  U.S. Food and Drug Administration, [Menu and Vending Machine Labeling](https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods/menu-and-vending-machine-labeling) and [21 CFR 101.8](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.8) (operators of 20 or more machines).
3.  Federal Trade Commission, [Complying with the Telemarketing Sales Rule](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/complying-telemarketing-sales-rule).
4.  Federal Trade Commission, [CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business).
5.  Google, [Google Maps Platform Terms of Service](https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/terms).

## Lead lists for the trades in this article

-   [Gyms email listA gym email list built from Google Maps covers every gym, fitness center and boutique studio in the area you choose, from franchise clubs to one-room CrossFit boxes and yoga studios.](https://leadraft.co/leads/gyms)
-   [Hotels email listLeadraft builds a list of hotels and other lodging from Google Maps for the area you choose: a city, a county, a ZIP code or a shape you draw.](https://leadraft.co/leads/hotels)
-   [Auto repair shops email listLeadraft builds a list of auto repair shops from Google Maps for the area you choose: a city, a county, a ZIP code or a shape you draw.](https://leadraft.co/leads/auto-repair-shops)
-   [Property management companies email listA property management email list built from Google Maps covers every residential, HOA, vacation rental and commercial property manager in the area you choose.](https://leadraft.co/leads/property-management-companies)
-   [Car washes email listLeadraft builds a list of car wash businesses from Google Maps for the area you choose: express tunnel washes, full-service and hand washes, self-serve bays, touchless washes, truck washes and detailing shops, including mobile detailers.](https://leadraft.co/leads/car-washes)
-   [Convenience stores email listLeadraft builds a list of convenience stores from Google Maps for the area you choose: independent c-stores, gas station stores, corner markets, bodegas, truck stops and the local units of chains.](https://leadraft.co/leads/convenience-stores)
-   [Lead lists for every industry](https://leadraft.co/leads)

## Keep reading

-   [
    
    November 3, 2026Playbook
    
    ### How to get commercial cleaning contracts: targets, bids and outreach
    
    Get commercial cleaning contracts: which businesses to target, how to build the list, where public bids are posted (SAM.gov, local portals) and scripts.
    
    Read article
    
    ](https://leadraft.co/blog/how-to-get-commercial-cleaning-contracts)
-   [
    
    November 3, 2026Playbook
    
    ### How to get commercial landscaping contracts: property managers, HOAs and office parks
    
    Get commercial landscaping contracts: list property managers, HOAs and business sites in your route area, pitch before budget season, and win the walkthrough.
    
    Read article
    
    ](https://leadraft.co/blog/how-to-get-commercial-landscaping-contracts)
-   [
    
    November 3, 2026Playbook
    
    ### How to get dental practices as clients: the list, the office manager and the pitch
    
    Get dental practices as clients: who decides at a practice, how to list every dentist in your area, what to pitch, when to call, and email scripts that fit.
    
    Read article
    
    ](https://leadraft.co/blog/how-to-get-dental-practices-as-clients)

Last built: 2026-11-09