Popcorn Vending Machine in a Arcade? Good Idea?

morbidboy

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I'm sure you guys know by now that my wife and I are opening up a retro arcade in Minneapolis. Other than games, we'll be selling candy and Mexican coke-cola products (Real cane sugar. No corn syrup). We were thinking of other food stuff to offer, without the need of a food/health license.

I recently saw a popcorn vending machine on sale ($700) in Minneapolis and I was curious is anyone seen one of these in action?

Pros:
1) Vends 100 times before it's next refill
2) Air Popped mean no grease on the controllers/cabinets
3) fresh smell of popcorn

Cons:
1) Consistently cleaning the floor of popcorn
2) Cleaning and maintenance of the machine

Good idea for an arcade or should I pass?
 

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popcorn isn't something I associate with arcades....between touching tokens/quarters and controls, i'd rather not eat popcorn lol
 
It might make a few dollars in the beginning but after a week of the popcorn smell you would unplug it.
 
I passed on several popcorn vending machines for my home use (just thought it would be cool), but passed when I found out how hard it is to find replacement parts are for them. Some were imposible to find anywhere.
 
I have one of those machines pictured, and its no where near worth $700. They are very cool and easy to use. There is really no parts to break on that machine. It is a gumball machine, a hot air popper that has been around for ever and a bit of wiring.
 
I'm sure you guys know by now that my wife and I are opening up a retro arcade in Minneapolis. Other than games, we'll be selling candy and Mexican coke-cola products (Real cane sugar. No corn syrup). We were thinking of other food stuff to offer, without the need of a food/health license.

I recently saw a popcorn vending machine on sale ($700) in Minneapolis and I was curious is anyone seen one of these in action?

Pros:
1) Vends 100 times before it's next refill
2) Air Popped mean no grease on the controllers/cabinets
3) fresh smell of popcorn

Cons:
1) Consistently cleaning the floor of popcorn
2) Cleaning and maintenance of the machine

Good idea for an arcade or should I pass?

Good idea on the pre-packed foods, and I think you've got an excellent plan on the mexican coke (for now at least). You might want to look at getting odd varieties of soda as well (just one or two six-packs or something). You know, something different to draw folks in. Perhaps just have one or two other varieties and rotate what you've got available to get folks to come and see what's in? Oh, and my wife recently encountered mexican orange Fanta in a store near us - glass bottles, real sugar, etc. Pretty good stuff.

The first thing that occurs to me with the popcorn machine is: does that still count as pre-packaged food? I know NOTHING of the law in your area, and it's clear that you wouldn't come under the same laws as a kitchen, but I'd want to be sure it didn't come under some other set of laws - it's got food contact surfaces in it, and there might be regulations beyond what you'd have on a normal 'vend the packaged item' machine, because when you do open it, you have to be careful with the cleaning. There might also be rules on daily cleaning, etc. that go beyond what the manufacturer says.

Personally, I don't think I'd buy popcorn in an arcade, because it's a little hard to juggle if I'm not going to eat it all at once. But that may just be me.

Good luck on your arcade!
 
You can get real sugar Pepsi at Sam's, real sugar Coke at Costco and real sugar Dr. Pepper from most major grocery store chains.

Our local Albertson's also carries real sugar Sprite in the old dimpled green glass.

There are also several areas that still stock the Pepsi/Mt.Dew Throwback (real sugar) in the old school packaging that would be cool.
 
You can get real sugar Pepsi at Sam's, real sugar Coke at Costco and real sugar Dr. Pepper from most major grocery store chains.

Our local Albertson's also carries real sugar Sprite in the old dimpled green glass.

There are also several areas that still stock the Pepsi/Mt.Dew Throwback (real sugar) in the old school packaging that would be cool.

Real Dr. Pepper is NOT available in all areas. Some of the bottlers (like the one in my area) refuse to do the real sugar formula.

I smiled big time when I first saw pepsi throwback. Don't know why, but I really like the older logo.
 
We got a deal with the local Coke bottling plant. We carry Mexican coke, fanta, and sprite (glass bottles with cane sugar) in a nifty rerto coke cooler, supplied by the plant (no cost). All I have to do is buy 10 cases at $200 every other month.
 
Real Dr. Pepper is NOT available in all areas. Some of the bottlers (like the one in my area) refuse to do the real sugar formula.

I smiled big time when I first saw pepsi throwback. Don't know why, but I really like the older logo.

I'm not talking about the Dublin Dr. Pepper. Dr. Pepper (proper) also makes a canned & bottled version of real sugar Dr. Pepper (not the Dublin Bottler) that is available nationally.

The Dublin Dr. Pepper (technically) has a very small distribution range by legal contract with corporate Dr. Pepper.
 
I'm not talking about the Dublin Dr. Pepper. Dr. Pepper (proper) also makes a canned & bottled version of real sugar Dr. Pepper (not the Dublin Bottler) that is available nationally.

The Dublin Dr. Pepper (technically) has a very small distribution range by legal contract with corporate Dr. Pepper.

Dr Pepper is bottled under license to local bottlers in various regions (that's how pretty much all sodas work, to my understanding). In my area (PA near philly) the license is held by the Coke bottler, and they have a corporate aversion to using real sugar. When Dr Pepper did the whole 'real sugar in retro packaging' promo a while back, my area got retro packaging with corn syrup.

There is NO real sugar Dr. Pepper available in my area, unless you drag it in from another region yourself.
 
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