Selling coffee attracts many investors: the product sells every day, at any time. Three models come up when you are looking to get started: the coffee franchise, the classic vending machine and the coffee robot. They sell the same product, but they do not ask for the same time, the same commitment or the same type of venue.
This article compares the three on the criteria that matter to an investor. The coffee robot's figures (price, costs, simulation) are on the investment page: they are not copied here, so that they always stay up to date.
The coffee franchise: a brand, premises and a team
Joining a franchise network means opening a coffee shop under a well-known banner, with its recipes, suppliers and method. In return, most networks ask for an entry fee, then regular royalties, and set precise rules: fit-out, menu, opening hours.
The outlet is a real shop. You have to find premises, sign a commercial lease, carry out works, and recruit and manage a team. It is a profession in its own right, often full time, and a commitment of several years to the network. In France, before signing, the franchisor must hand over a pre-contractual information document (under the Doubin law): that is where the length of the contract, the royalties and the obligations are set out.
In return, a franchise brings what no other model offers: a brand customers already know, customers who sit down, and the support of a network.
The vending machine: coffee with no seller, but no show
The classic vending machine prepares the drink inside a closed cabinet: the customer chooses, pays and collects the cup without seeing the preparation. It is mostly found in companies, waiting rooms and high-traffic places.
Many of these machines are run by companies specialising in vending, which place them, fill them and pay a commission to the venue that hosts them. For an individual or a small company, the model is mostly that of a service amenity: it helps out more than it attracts.
The coffee robot: a complete point of sale, with no staff
The coffee robot sits between the two. Like a vending machine, it sells on its own, day and night if the venue stays open. Like a coffee shop, it attracts: a robotic arm prepares the drink behind the glass, in front of passers-by, and the menu offers coffees, milk drinks and customisable recipes. The customer orders on a touch kiosk and pays by card.
For the investor, there are no commercial premises to fit out and no employee to recruit: the machine is installed in a high-traffic place, with the owner's agreement. The equipment is detailed on the coffee robot page, and what to check on site in our article on the coffee robot in company restaurants.
Comparing the three on the right criteria
The time to spend on it. A franchise is a full-time job, at least at the start. A vending machine entrusted to a vending company asks almost nothing of you, but only earns you a commission. A coffee robot takes about 30 minutes a day to refill and clean; sales and stock levels are followed from an app.
Staff. Essential in a franchise, non-existent for the vending machine and the coffee robot.
The venue. A franchise requires commercial premises and their lease. The vending machine and the coffee robot take up a few square metres in a place that already exists, with the owner's agreement (fixed rent or a share of revenue, depending on what you negotiate).
Sums paid to a third party. In a franchise, royalties come on top of the entry fee for the whole length of the contract. With a ROBOKAFÉ coffee robot, there is no software subscription and no percentage on sales: payments go to your account. Maintenance, which includes support, is optional for a cash purchase.
The brand. A franchise imposes its own. The coffee robot can be run under your own brand, with a wrap in your colours as an option.
The exit. Reselling a franchise generally requires the network's approval of the buyer, and a buyer for the business. A coffee robot is yours after a cash purchase: it can be moved to another location or resold.
The coffee robot's limits, to know before choosing
No model is flawless, and the coffee robot has its own weaknesses:
- No network reputation. Customers do not come for a banner they know; it is the show of the arm and the footfall past the machine that make the sale.
- No territorial exclusivity. The purchase reserves neither a city nor an area.
- Everything depends on footfall. Without passers-by, the robot does not sell, whatever the quality of the machine. The choice of location outweighs everything else.
- Profitability you can project, but not promise. The simulator details the calculation, all costs included, but only the venue's real footfall decides the profit.
Which model for which profile?
You want to run a shop, welcome customers and lead a team: the franchise is made for you, provided you devote your time to it.
You have a high-traffic venue (shop, arcade, gym, lobby) and want to make it pay without hiring: the coffee robot adds a point of sale with no counter and no staff.
You are looking for extra income that takes little time, without leaving your current activity: the coffee robot is the only one of the three that combines a real point of sale with about 30 minutes a day. No location yet? We can look for one for you, as an option.
To see a ROBOKAFÉ robot at work, two machines are in service at the Galerie des Champs, on the Champs-Élysées, from 9 October 2026. And to put figures on your project, estimate your profitability or tell us about your location.
