How to Service A Gumball or Candy Vending Machine
Without a cash box: In a gumball or candy machine where the coins accumulate inside the body of the machine:
- The whole machine is held together top to bottom by a center rod to which the lock connects.
- Unlock the lock and unscrew it, this loosens up the machine.
- Grasp the colored body of the machine, and lift it, perhaps with a helper, about an inch or so, and turn it about 45 degrees.
- When setting it down gently, you might want to rest it on something soft like a rolled up washcloth.
- Once it has been opened, you can either tilt the machine to sort of pour out the quarters, or reach in and scoop them to the side and out of the area where they have accumulated.
With a cash box or cash drawer: A cash box or drawer allows for more easy removal of the gathering quarters. It has a separate lock and key, thus also allowing you to separate access to the money from access to the machine, for example in a situation where you want the person refilling the candy or gumballs NOT to have access to the money. When it is time to empty the quarters from a machine with a cash-box, simply unlock the cashbox and slide the drawer out, lift out the quarters, slide the drawer back in, and lock the cashbox up again.
In a triple-vend gumball or candy machine: most triple machines have some kind of back door, either a full back door or a partial back door.
- Go to the back of the machine.
- Unlock the back door
- Coins may have accumulated in a box or container underneath the vending products
- Remove any containers of coins and/or loose coins.
- Look around inside of compartment for any coins that may have gone in unusual places
- If any food product has somehow entered the compartment, remove food product
- Replace boxes to hold coins or anything else that was there.
- Lock the back door up again.
In a spiral gumball or candy machine: including Roadrunner, Armadillo, and Wizard spiral gumball machines:
- The quarters accumulate in the bottom of the machine.
- The coin door is on the lower end of the machine, in the back.
- Keys to the coin door are shipped in an envelope on top of the machine, but are likely stored elsewhere in real life
- Go to the back of the machine.
- Unlock the back door
- Remove any containers of coins and/or loose coins.
- Empty the quarters
- Replace any containers for coins.
- Close and lock the door
- Replace the machine to its original position
How to refill a gumball or candy vending machine
Refilling a gumball/candy vending machine with a top lock (includes spiral and most other machines):
- These machines are held together top to bottom by a center rod coming up from the middle of the bottom of the machine to the center of the lid, where the lock attaches to the center rod.
- To refill product, unlock the lock in the lid
- Remove lock from center rod
- Lift lid and set aside
- Inspect previous product
- Using a scoop, scoop new product into the globe until full
- When full, replace the lid
- Screw the lock down over the center rod.
- Remove the key and store in a safe place
Refilling a triple vend with removable canisters: These machines hold the maximum amount of product possible because the product occupies the compartments.
- Remove the canister.
- You can replace the canister with a clean, refilled canister and take the used one home to clean.
- Remove any product
- Clean or wash the canister
- Dry the canister
- Replace or replenish product
- Insert the canister back in the machine.
- Make a test vend to check everything is seated correctly.
How to clean a gumball or candy vending machine
Because they dispense food items, harsh cleaners are not recommended nor needed. In general, soap and water and then rinse and wipe dry are sufficient to clean gumball machine pieces and parts.