The score adds points for six things a location has or lacks. The weights are our own rubric, not from a study; the math under the calculator shows every point.
How the points work
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| People there on a typical day | Under 50: 10. 50 to 199: 25. 200 or more: 35 |
| Hours open a day | Under 8: 5. 8 to 15: 10. 16 or more: 15 |
| Other food and drink | On site: 0. A walk away: 10. None nearby: 20 |
| People stay for hours | 15 |
| Indoors with controlled access or staff around | 10 |
| A standard outlet where the machine would stand | 5 |
The headcount bands follow the tiers The Vending Locator1 prices placements on: $500 for a location with 50 or more employees, rising to $2,000 for 200 or more. What locators cost compares the services that publish prices.
The machine suggestion
Without an outlet, nothing runs, so the scorer suggests no machine. A secure space where people stay gets a smart cooler, because a cooler unlocks before it charges and can carry fresh food. A location with fewer than 50 people gets one combo machine. Anywhere else gets a spiral snack or drink machine with a card reader. The smart cooler guide covers which coolers handle fresh food.
Commission
VendBuddy2, a vendor blog, puts commissions at 5% to 20% of gross sales and small offices at 0% to 5%. The scorer shows the small-office range under 50 people and the wider range above. We could not find a commission survey from NAMA or the trade press. One of our locations takes 15%.
