The calculator multiplies a year of the seller’s owner earnings by three multiples: the lower quartile, median, and upper quartile of vending businesses sold through BizBuySell1 from 2021 to 2025. You can change the multiples.
The defaults
| BizBuySell, vending sales 2021–2025 | Value |
|---|---|
| Sale price ÷ owner earnings, lower quartile | 1.80 |
| Median | 2.15 |
| Upper quartile | 2.62 |
BizBuySell says a route with consistent sales over $130,000 a year may sell above 2.5 times earnings, and one under $50,000 closer to 1.8 times. The calculator notes when a route falls in either band.
The second figure is 10 to 12 months of gross sales. A long-time poster on Vendiscuss put asking prices at 10 months3 to 12 months of gross2, adjusted down for high commissions, dirty machines, and outdoor placements. It is an operator-reported rule of thumb.
The flags
The flag thresholds are ours, set where a buyer should ask more questions:
- One location carries 30% or more of sales. If it ends the contract, that share goes with it.
- No written contracts, or under 12 months left. Another Vendiscuss operator said most of a route’s price is the equipment3, because a location can ask a new owner to leave the day after closing.
- Machines average 10 years or older. Check whether they take cards and what replacements would cost.
- Earnings above sales. The figures are wrong somewhere.
Buying a vending route covers where listings are, how to verify sales, and the California sales-tax clearance that protects a buyer.
