Investing in an automatic coffee machine means buying a point of sale that works without a salesperson. Before you start, four questions decide whether the project succeeds: what the purchase price covers, the costs that remain your responsibility after buying, the time the machine will ask of you and, above all, the location where it will sell. Here are the practical benchmarks to answer them, using the ROBOKAFÉ coffee robot as an example.
The price of the machine, what is included and the margin scenarios are on the investment page: they are not copied here, so that they remain up to date at all times.
Coffee robot or traditional vending machine: what are we talking about
Two families of machines sell coffee without staff. The traditional vending machine prepares the drink inside a closed cabinet; it is often placed by a vending company, which fills it and pays a commission to the venue that hosts it. The coffee robot, by contrast, is a complete point of sale: a robotic arm prepares the drink behind a window, in full view of passers-by, from a menu of coffees and customisable milk-based drinks that the customer chooses on a touch screen before paying by card.
For an investor, the difference lies in what you own: a machine that belongs to you, operated under your own name, whose sales go into your account. Our comparison coffee robot, vending machine or franchise details the three ways to invest in coffee, and our article on the vending machine franchise explains what a brand costs.
What the purchase price includes
At ROBOKAFÉ, the price of a coffee robot is a turnkey price. It includes:
- the complete machine: robotic arm, ordering terminal and display screen, with card payment;
- delivery, anywhere in France;
- installation, commissioning and tests with you, on site;
- training in Paris, before installation;
- the management app: sales, stock, prices, out-of-stock and fault alerts.
Three options can be added: finding a location, charged only if a lease is signed; sales support at launch; and customising the machine in your colours. Their prices are listed on the investment page.
Costs to plan for after purchase
This is the question most often forgotten. Once the machine is paid for, several costs recur every month or with each sale:
- consumables: coffee, milk, syrups, sauces, sugar, cups and lids;
- the location: a fixed rent or a share of sales paid to the venue owner;
- the machine's internet connection, essential for card payment and remote monitoring;
- electricity, if it is your responsibility, and insurance;
- card payment fees;
- support, optional, on a monthly subscription;
- maintenance: shipping of parts during the warranty, the parts themselves afterwards, and an on-site call-out if needed, on quotation;
- local taxes, such as the CFE business property tax, and your accountant's fees.
The investment page shows who pays what, during the warranty and after it. Our article on the tax treatment of a coffee robot lists the deductible costs, and the one on the payment terminal explains how to compare commissions.
Is it profitable?
Everything depends on the number of sales per day, and therefore on the location. Profit is calculated in four steps: revenue excluding VAT, variable costs, fixed costs, then break-even point. Our article on the profitability of a coffee robot sets out the method, and the simulator applies it to your assumptions: sales per day, average price, cost of the location.
The figures it gives are projections, not recorded results: no machine is yet operated by a ROBOKAFÉ customer. Be wary of any promise of earnings, ours or anyone else's, and also read our article on the risks affecting profitability before you decide.
How much time it takes
The machine takes orders, takes payment and prepares drinks on its own. Your part comes down to a regular visit on site to restock it and clean the preparation and serving areas; the time this takes each day is set out on the investment page. Sales, stock levels and alerts are monitored remotely, from the app.
Two things lengthen this time: the distance between your home and the location, and sales volume, since a machine that sells a lot needs restocking more often. That is why an average location that is close by is sometimes better than an excellent one an hour's drive away.
Choosing the location
This is the decision that weighs most. The coffee robot sells in busy places where people wait or take a break:
- shopping centres: arcades, food courts;
- stations and airports: concourses, waiting areas;
- hospitals: lobbies, waiting rooms;
- office buildings and companies: lobbies, shared spaces;
- hotels, schools and campuses.
You need the agreement of the venue owner, a free space with passing footfall and a floor suited to the weight of the machine, a power supply validated by an electrician and a reliable connection. No major works. Dimensions and weight are given on the technical sheet of the coffee robot page. The machine is mounted on castors: if the location does not perform, it can be moved to another one, or resold.
Our articles on choosing the location and on the location contract set out the criteria to check and the clauses to negotiate. If you are targeting a restaurant or a company, also read what to check before installing a coffee robot there.
Financing the purchase
You can pay for the machine outright, or have the purchase financed by your bank or by a leasing company. In both cases, the cost of financing is added to the monthly costs in your profitability calculation, and your bank will ask for a forecast: the margin calculation method will help you build it.
On the tax side, the machine is depreciated over several years, and the status you choose changes what you actually keep. Check this with your accountant before ordering, not after.
Steps to take before operating
Operating a coffee robot means carrying on a commercial activity: you need a legal framework, suitable insurance, compliance with food hygiene rules and display of prices and allergens. Our article on coffee robot regulations lists the steps to check before you commit.
How the project unfolds
- A first estimate with the simulator, then a quotation request.
- A discussion about the intended location and your needs: drinks, prices, expected volumes.
- The order, then payment according to the schedule in the purchase order.
- Training in Paris, then delivery, installation and commissioning on site.
No location yet? ROBOKAFÉ can look for one for you, as an option.
Before you start
A few honest questions to ask yourself:
- Do I have a location in mind, and have I observed its footfall over several hours and several days?
- Have I listed every cost after purchase, even the smallest?
- Does the project remain profitable in a cautious scenario, quiet months included?
- How many visits per week can I manage, and how far is it from home?
- Have my status and tax treatment been validated with an accountant?
To see a coffee robot in service, two ROBOKAFÉ machines serve passers-by at the Galerie des Champs, on the Champs-Élysées: you can book a demonstration. And to work out your project, simulate your profitability or describe your location to us.
