How much do i pay to put arcade in a business?

bogard85

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does anyone know the right percentage of profit i should give to a business owner for allowing me to put my arcade machine there... Theres a local pizzeria near a school I would like to approach but do not know the correct amount to offer a month.... Thanks for any advice.... I plan to file for a amusement license....
 
Im no operator but would think that you could probably put a game into a small establisment like that for no money. Your offering your machine for him to provide for his customers. It brings people into his business. Plus this isnt 1985 so the profits would probably be kinda small anyway.
 
really..there should be a sticky on this topic. You won't make enough to cover repairs..prob end up losing money.
 
I would put a neo geo big red or just a standard jamma with some street fighter title... i could repair that crap myself for pennies.... It wont cost me much to do this at all.... perhaps i dont need to offer much or anything.... who knows... lol thats why im asking =)
 
I did that once at a local mexican restaurant (with no license) and gave 100% of the coin to the owner in exchange for a free meal once a month for my family. I always came out the winner, btw it was a pole postion.
 
Its whatever you decide. But older stuff is usually 50/50. If your going to be putting in top dollar stuff(Think $4k+) then you should be getting 60/40. I think self redemption/bulk vending stuff is like 65/35.

I have heard some people will pay to buy/steal the location from another operator. But I think those days are long gone. Not enough money to be made to fight for locations..

about the only thing that operates well is drivers, shooters(and then you deal with broken guns), and neo geo. If your going to run neo, you want a 4 slot. You need to put in a bust a move (any of the series), metal slug (any of the series), and whatever else you want. Probably a flying game (aero fighters or strikers), and then maybe something like super sidekicks, samurai showdown, ect.
 
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Industry standard for new or old machines is 50/50 monetary split of whatever is in the coin box. If you can get better than that, obviously go for it. Newer IT games have network fees that come off the top. You can also pad the fees to your liking for software of whatever. New digital jukes also have network/music fees. You definitely don't need to pay them anything to get yourself in the door. As someone mentioned, those days are over. As someone else mentioned, driving games and gun games are good for kiddy spots and some adult spots. In my neck of the woods, jukeboxes and pool tables are the best earners for bars. Touchscreen games do pretty well in bars too but not what they used to. Silver Strike Bowling and Golden Tee Golf will do well in the right bars and jack shizzle in others. Again, this what I see in my area. Popularity of certain types of machines can vary depending on what area of the country you are in. This is probably more info than you were interested in...ok enough of this. I am going to play Crystal Castles now.
 
Especially if going into a location where there are a lot of Hispanic customers. Soccer games are popular with the crowd.

The operator I know who deals with a lot of Neo Geo won't install a 1 in XXX because they are die in the field.

It's not the wear and tear on the stick or the buttons that is an issues. It the vandals that crave their gang scribblings on your machine that hard to deal with.
 
Don't forget a nice CPS2 setup - you have a lot of games you can swap to keep it fresh, and they will make more money than the classics.
 
thanks for all the advice...my total investment is pretty much 250-300 for a cab which i will restore... i wanna throw a 2 slot in it and switch up the neo carts from my personal collection. I also have all the popular street fighters cps2 and cps3 carts if i can get a hold of a jamma cab... i dont wanna use my personal cabs since they are candy's and will get beat to shit... im assuming total investment is about 400-450 after restoration and everything. im sure ill make that back quickly then the rest will be profit, whatever it is..... wish me luck. i will try to haggle at 35/65 ish but 50/50 seams more fair.... we shall see.....
 
Typical split is 50/50, that's with the location splitting the taxes/licenses 50/50. Cranes/anything that gives out prizes: subtract prize cost from money in coin box, then 50/50 split what remains.

Don't operate games and expect to make money. I bring in a lot of money in a week, but most goes out to cover parts and expenses. The gun games are the worst expense wise, but also bring in the most money.
 
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thanks for all the advice...my total investment is pretty much 250-300 for a cab which i will restore... i wanna throw a 2 slot in it and switch up the neo carts from my personal collection. I also have all the popular street fighters cps2 and cps3 carts if i can get a hold of a jamma cab... i dont wanna use my personal cabs since they are candy's and will get beat to shit... im assuming total investment is about 400-450 after restoration and everything. im sure ill make that back quickly then the rest will be profit, whatever it is..... wish me luck. i will try to haggle at 35/65 ish but 50/50 seams more fair.... we shall see.....

Good luck my friend. It will be a fun little side-project, and if you do it long enough you'll make a couple bucks.

I like the route you're going, just get some jamma cabs, clean them up and throw some black paint on them. Maybe some CHEAP sideart and throw it on location. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a couple spare boards and chassis on-hand. CPS2 mobos are cheap now, you probably already have a few. 2-slot Neos are pretty reasonable as well.

I vote for Metal Slug 3 as one of the neo games. :)
 
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Don't restore it if its going on location... just make sure its decently clean, functional, and secure as possible. You don't want to spend alot on a cab ... its just more money you have to recoupe.
 
Why not get the word out and rent them for some type of party. Maybe have a package of three machines, set them on free play for several hours? Maybe make more in a day than have it sit for a month..
 
Why not get the word out and rent them for some type of party. Maybe have a package of three machines, set them on free play for several hours? Maybe make more in a day than have it sit for a month..

that may be a good idea as well..... if i do that though i would need nice looking cabs.... for the member who voted for slug 3.... thats a great one... i only have 1 and 2 at the moment but i got 50 other mvs carts as well... i also have a 110 in 1 i may use.... who knows.... i got all the good cps2 boards also.... it is just an idea but i think itll work out.. theres no where around here anymore to enjoy a classic neo or cps2 game... just the idea of sharing the love is enough for me.... plus i enjoy arcade hardware so much its all i do lol.... its basically a hobby i may be able to turn into a few bucks.... im gonna go for it... i will need a week or so to get the money together and locate a cab... ill get some pics up once its on location haha!!!!
 
does anyone know the right percentage of profit i should give to a business owner for allowing me to put my arcade machine there... Theres a local pizzeria near a school I would like to approach but do not know the correct amount to offer a month.... Thanks for any advice.... I plan to file for a amusement license....

The going rate is 25 to 50% of the take. You may want to negotiate the tax stamp fee as well. Most times the operator pays, particualrly if it is a good location.
 
I had a great time in the '90s when I operated a few games. My split was always 50/50, location paid electric. I actually made a small profit over the course of several years.

I always chose the small local businesses (a corner store/bar, a seafood restaurant, a video rental store, an Amvets bar, my community college's game room, etc) that weren't big enough for the established route operators to bother with, but were just right for a full time college student/part time record store employee like me.

I still remember feeling like Richie Rich after my first 2 week collection from my Asteroids Deluxe upright at the Amvets bar... $120.00!!! That's damn good coin for a vector game in 1991!

Kyle :cool:
 
I know the classics don't usually do well, but there's a nicer restuarant/bar here in town that I know Donkey Kong and a couple other classics would clean house in. A lot of midwest kids trying to hipsters go there during the week and weekend.

You make me want to pursue this as well. More for the fact that I'd like to see some games in public again. lol When I was a kid almost every pizza place and family restaurant had good arcade games.
 
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