One of the fastest ways to slow down your growth in vending is saying yes to the wrong location.
Early on, it’s tempting to take anything you can get.
A “yes” feels like progress.
But a bad location will cost you more time, more effort, and more frustration than it’s worth.
Over time, I started noticing the same patterns.
Here are three red flags I pay attention to now.
1. No Real Foot Traffic
This is the easiest one to miss if you’re not paying attention.
A place can look busy, but that doesn’t always mean it’s good for vending.
What matters is consistent, daily traffic. Captive, not transient traffic.
Not occasional spikes. Not once-a-week activity.
If people aren’t regularly passing by where the machine will be, it’s going to struggle.
You can’t fix low traffic with better products or a nicer machine.
If the people aren’t there, the sales won’t be either.
2. No Clear Decision Maker
This one wastes more time than anything else.
You’ll talk to someone who seems interested, maybe even excited, but they can’t actually approve anything.
Now you’re going back and forth, waiting on someone else, or getting passed around.
If it’s not clear who has the final say, I slow down immediately.
I’d rather spend my time talking to someone who can make a decision than chasing a maybe.
Clarity here matters.
3. Unrealistic Expectations
Sometimes the location wants vending, but their expectations don’t match reality.
They might expect:
High commission with low traffic
Constant service with minimal usage
Full customization without volume
Lower prices than big box stores
That’s usually a sign the deal won’t work long term.
The business still has to make sense on your end.
If the numbers don’t work, the location won’t work either.
The Part Most People Miss
Not every opportunity is a good one.
And that’s fine.
Saying no is part of building a strong route.
A few solid locations will always outperform a lot of weak ones.
The Shift
When you start looking for red flags instead of just looking for yeses, everything changes.
You move faster.
You waste less time.
You build better routes.
Good locations are worth the patience.
Bad ones aren’t worth the effort.
If you’re unsure about a location, step back and ask yourself:
Does this actually make sense long term?
That question alone will save you a lot of time.
If this resonated with you, you’d fit well inside Vending Circle.
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