Open around the clock, even on Sundays – that is the strength of a vending kiosk. In many German federal states this is possible for unstaffed shops: several courts confirmed it in 2025, and states such as Bavaria, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg have explicitly written it into law.

Each federal state sets the details itself. So check briefly with the public order office what applies at your address – then you plan with the right opening hours from the start.

When searching, look for step-free access, a wide door, a floor with sufficient load capacity and good visibility from the street. The lease should explicitly state:

• Use as a vending kiosk or unstaffed retail
• Operation around the clock, as far as the law allows
• Outdoor advertising and lighting on the façade
• Who pays for power connections and alterations

Ask the building authority whether the existing permit for the premises covers your business. Often a short enquiry is enough, sometimes an application for change of use – your landlord or an architect can help.

A single machine on a building wall or on private land is possible without a building application in most German federal states. For public land, such as the pavement, the city issues a special use permit.

You register the installation of vending machines with the trade office – one form, online in many cities. You don't need a special permit for vending machines; the well-known “Aufstellerschein” only applies to gaming machines with the chance of winning.

Anyone selling food from vending machines registers once with the food control authority responsible for the location – usually a short form.

For packaged, non-chilled goods, basic hygiene is generally enough: clean machines, regular checks of best-before dates. With chilled goods, the machine keeps the temperature by itself – note it down on every visit.

Three components are usual:

• Business liability insurance
• Contents or business insurance for the shop
• Vending machine or electronics insurance for the machines

Tell the insurer that the shop is open around the clock without staff. Also ask what equipment they require – you've planned a camera and cashless payment anyway.

Plan from the product range: a chilled snack and drinks machine is the crowd-puller, locker modules take bulky or delicate goods, a coffee machine turns the shop into a meeting point. In the configurator you put together the machine, payment system and equipment and see the price right away.

Not sure what suits your location? The machine assistant asks you a few questions in two minutes and suggests machines.

In an unstaffed shop, most people pay by card or phone – every machine needs a card terminal. Coins and notes are also worth it where many young people or older customers buy.

Cashless has a second advantage: you save yourself counting and banking coins.

18+ products such as vapes and e-cigarettes are in the range of many vending kiosks. They may be sold from machines with technical age verification – our machines are available with age verification directly at the machine for this. Simply select it in the configurator.

If you also want to offer beer or wine, agree the range with the public order office beforehand. For energy drinks there is – as of September 2026 – no statutory age limit in Germany.

Every machine needs a normal 230 V socket. If several chilled machines, a coffee machine and the lighting run at the same time, an electrician should check whether the shop's circuits can handle it – and install the sockets where the machines are to stand.

The electricity cost calculator shows you what the machines consume per month, using the values from our data sheets.

Bright light around the clock, a clear view from the street into the shop and a camera – that way your customers feel comfortable and you can keep an eye on the shop from your phone. For the camera, the following applies:

• Notice sign at the entrance: who records, for what purpose and for how long
• Delete recordings after 72 hours at the latest
• Record without sound
• Only film your own shop, not the pavement

Some operators open the door at night via bank card.

We set up your machines before shipping, run them in a test cycle and send them insured by freight carrier – usually within three to four business days. The carrier calls beforehand to arrange the date.

Measure the door width, steps and the route to the installation spot beforehand: a snack vending machine is big and heavy. Let us know if it gets tight – then we'll plan the delivery accordingly.

Most operators buy from wholesalers (cash & carry), from specialist drinks wholesalers and, for special items, directly from the manufacturer or importer. Don't just compare the unit price, but also minimum quantities, remaining shelf life of the goods and how often you have to go there.

Start with well-known brands and a few varieties. A snack vending machine holds up to 60 varieties – but every variety that doesn't sell blocks a spiral and eventually expires. Better: double up on fast sellers and keep two or three spirals free for experiments.

Calculate from the purchase price and include rent, electricity and card fees in your calculation. The profitability calculator is preset to a cost of goods of 55% – enter your real purchase prices there.

The machine must show the final price including VAT, and the deposit is shown separately. You don't have to state the unit price per litre or kilo on drinks and food vending machines. For tax purposes under German law: food is usually 7%, drinks 19% – that belongs in your calculation.

Deposit: Like every retailer, you charge a 25-cent deposit on single-use cans and bottles. You don't have to take back empties at the machine itself – a return option nearby is enough, for example via a neighbouring retailer or an empties box. Simply post the return option on the machine.

Labelling: Packaged branded goods already carry all mandatory information on the pack – so you're done. A notice listing the allergens is a nice service.

We set up the spirals and compartments for your product list before shipping. On site it's then: plug in, let the cooling run down, stock up, set prices on the display and make a test purchase from every spiral. You'll receive instructions and video tutorials digitally in advance.

Every machine must visibly display your name with your first name written out in full and your address, and for registered companies also the company name. This is required by the German Trade Regulation Act (Gewerbeordnung, § 14 (3)).

Also in every shop: a phone number for faults, the video surveillance notice at the entrance, the notice on deposit returns and, for 18+ products, the youth protection notice. A short guide “How to shop here” takes away new customers' hesitation.

Create a Google Business Profile – with your real opening hours, photos of the shop and the most important products. Anyone searching for “kiosk near me” at night should find you. Plus: illuminated outdoor advertising that can be read from the street, and short videos from the shop on Instagram or TikTok.

Pick a day when you can be on site yourself. Show the first customers how buying works, collect wishes for the range and ask satisfied customers for a Google review. A small promotion – such as the first drink at a lower price – brings the neighbourhood into the shop.

Set fixed days and in the first weeks rather check in once too often: stock levels, best-before dates, cleanliness, cooling temperature. An empty or dirty machine costs you the customer, not just the one sale.

Good news: under German law, vending machines don't need a certified till (TSE) and don't have to issue receipts. You still have to keep records: each machine counts as a separate till – count the cash every time you empty it and write it down, and keep the machines' sales data and the card provider's statements.

Before you start, discuss with your tax adviser how to file the data and how to separate the different VAT rates cleanly.

After four to six weeks you'll know your bestsellers and slow movers. Swap out what doesn't sell, raise prices where the goods always run out first, and consider which machine the shop is still missing. Once the first location is running, the second is much easier – you'll already have suppliers, processes and contacts.