4 tips for setting up a pizza vending machine

You've decided to invest in a pizza vending machine. You were advised by a fellow pizzaiolo, or maybe you've seen one with your competitors or in a nearby town.

Now you're wondering if you'll be able to successfully install a pizza vending machine in your area. Will your current customers be interested? Will it help attract new clients? How can you ensure its profitability? By compiling the experiences of your fellow pizzaiolos, we've identified four key success factors to help you succeed with your project.

1. Choose the perfect location for your pizza vending machine

Two options are available to you: a machine placed at the front of your restaurant or a standalone kiosk.

The choice depends on the goals you want to achieve and local opportunities. For example, a standalone kiosk allows you to expand your catchment area and attract new customers. If you're located in a city, think about all the late-night revellers coming out of clubs, craving a freshly made pizza at 3 a.m...

A handmade and crispy pizza in the middle of the night, what more could you ask for? 😎

It also makes sense to consider this option if you're in a small town without any nearby pizzerias. Based on experience, it's common for residents of neighbouring villages to travel to the pizza kiosk! Your machine will be the only alternative for getting a quality, affordable, and quick meal late at night (or even during the day, depending on your situation).

However, this requires finding a lease agreement. Public spaces are often very attractive in terms of traffic, so connect with your municipality to understand their policies and potential cooperation. If they're looking to revitalise the town centre, your project could make them quite happy too! A win-win.

Private locations are also a good option, sometimes even easier. It's often quicker and simpler to sign a lease with a private individual. Plus, the machine requires minimal setup: just a solid platform to place it on and a standard electrical connection.

On the other hand, a machine placed at the front of your restaurant is more convenient. It allows you to stock it directly from your restaurant and close the store earlier without impacting sales.

Additionally, a machine at the front of your shop allows you to anticipate rush periods. You automate the entire sales process, avoiding potential loss of customers when there's a long queue at your restaurant.

For more details, check out our article on the 5 reasons to invest in a pizza vending machine.

2. Focus on visual appeal

You've developed a unique visual identity that reflects your personality, vision, and commitment, and you're proud of it. Perfect 👍

Your vending machine should be an additional channel to communicate this identity.

By customising the covering (the wrapping of the machine itself) with your brand image, you allow customers to immediately associate the machine with your business.

The touchscreen allows you to display an advertising slideshow of your choice. It's a great opportunity to showcase your expertise with photos of pizza preparation, invite people to follow you on social media, and visit your website.

Here are some examples of custom coverings:

3. Promote before and during the launch

Installing a pizza vending machine will definitely spark curiosity, that's a guarantee. The challenge lies in your ability to turn this curiosity into sales and loyal customers.

The key to success is creating an event around your vending machine. Besides flyers and posters, organise tasting events. Take the opportunity to showcase your work, the quality of your pizzas, and how the machine operates. By the way, be prepared for everyone to want a peek inside the machine 😃

Also, leverage the local press. A quick internet search will show you that local journalists are particularly interested in this type of event. You'll get a great publicity boost for your launch.

Of course, don't neglect promotional materials around your point of sale, especially if it's a kiosk: a printed banner, a flag, a signpost... The choice is yours, but don't underestimate the power of these communication tools.

A little tip to measure the success of each marketing campaign:

Include a unique promo code in each promotion and measure the sales generated over a period of 3 to 6 months. This will give you more visibility and allow you to make data-driven decisions.

For example: Lots of sales thanks to a newspaper ad but fewer from flyers? Reduce the budget for one and increase it for the other. Little by little, you'll have an optimised marketing strategy.

4. Adapt the offering to your current and future customers

You know which pizzas your current customers love the most, so it makes sense to have those recipes available in your vending machine. Whether they have cooked or fresh toppings (like rocket and speck pizzas), the machine can be configured to bake them with or without grilling on top.

However, there's no guarantee that the new customers you attract with the pizza vending machine will have the same tastes.

So, since you can offer as many different pizzas in the machine as you like, take the opportunity to test new recipes! Let your creativity shine and offer unique creations exclusively in the vending machine. You'll be able to directly measure their popularity by checking the sales data through the management app.