Eliminating Coins = More $$$  

Coin Operated Pool Tables – The traditional approach

• • Many pool halls across the country adopted a coin operated approach to pool tables.   Why?  Well it’s fairly easy to manage, requires less staff, and with table based leasing / rental programs, can offer a predictable income flow.

Coin Disadvantages

• Coins create “friction” for your patrons    

  • First, there’s the simple matter of having / obtaining the right number of quarters to start the game.   
    • I have to have cash to Play? Patrons may have to use your ATM (and pay additional fees) to get the cash they need
    • I have to get change? Patrons then have to compete with other Patrons at the Bar Counter before starting the game (never easy in a busy bar) just to get the right coins to feed the coin mechanism.
  • Second, there’s the psychological barrier that can develop to keep feeding the table with more coins.  
    • After every game, let’s say every 10 minutes or so, the patron is forced to “ante up” more coins.  
    • If your goal as a Bar Operator is to keep the patrons at the table enjoying themselves, buying drinks and food, why force them to keep making this decision every 10 minutes to continue playing?   
    • How many times will Patrons actually want to return to your busy bar and wait for the bartender to have a moment to get them more coins?   When using the Fee Machine tablet to track time, you eliminate all this friction.  
    • The Fee Machine tablet saves time, for you the Bar Operator as your bartenders don’t have to continuously operate as cashiers, and for your Patrons, as they can focus more of their time doing what they came to your establishment to do in the first play HAVE FUN, DRINK, and EAT! 
    • Cash is NOT the preferred payment method for the upcoming generation of bar / restaurant patrons!  
      • For many younger patrons, having to deal with cash is a Hassle!   They most likely came to your establishment expecting to pay for their evening with a Credit Card; but to play pool they have to use CASH? 
        • With the Fee Machine tablet, you can effortlessly track their pool table rental fees and then easily add the charge to their bar check, simplifying check out, making for a much smoother experience for your patrons. 

• Coins Limit your revenue!  

  • Coin based revenue control solutions for Pool inherently limit your revenue.    Let’s look at the ways.
    • • How long does it take to play a game of pool?  Well, of course, this varies greatly, from 5 minutes for quick players to 30 minutes for a very leisurely game.   
        • Let’s assume that your players are fairly quick but still take 10 minutes to play a game of 8 Ball, and your machine requires $1.00 (4 quarters) per game.  
          • That translates to a Max Revenue of only $6.00 per hour per table!   Can your patrons even get a beer for that cheap!?!?  
          • In these inflationary times, is that the best approach for your establishment?   
          • What if there are 4 players at the table?  
            • With 4 people playing, it’s probably better to average 15 minutes a game instead of 10 minutes a game.   
              • That means only $4.00 / hour of pool revenue!   That’s $1.00 an hour for each player!   Do you really want to give away Pool practically for free?
      • One Rate – With coin based solutions – you are stuck with ONE RATE for pool. 
        • There’s no way to charge different prices during busy happy hours or late nights when you have opportunities to increase your revenue when your tables are in highest demand or lower rates to entice play.  
        • With the Fee Machine tablet, it’s easy to set up any number of rates, such as “Weekday Day” rate, a “Happy Hour” rate, a “Late Nite” rate, a “Weekend” rate, etc. 
        • Having variable rates gives you another opportunity to advertise to your patrons and entice them in!

• Coin operation was trendy a generation ago, but now?

  • There was a time not long ago when paying with coins might have been a good fit for the Patron Experience that Bar Operators were trying to provide.
    • Is that the right vibe to bring Today’s Patrons to your establishment?
    • Smart Operators need to continually evaluate all the components of their business to see if what they are offering appeals to their target audience.   
      • Using the Fee Machine tablet instead of coins helps Bar operators create a more upscale and service oriented experience that many patrons crave.

Fee Machine Tablet Benefits

• Eliminate Patron “Friction”

  • When Operators use the Fee Machine tablet, patrons never need worry about
    • having the right coins
    • going to the ATM to get cash
    • waiting at the bar to get change
  • With the Fee Machine tablet, your patrons just keep playing, enjoying the experience, putting aside their worries (which is why they came to your place), enjoying time at your establishment and ordering more drinks and food.  
    • This naturally enhances the experience for players.
    • This allows Bar operators to elevate the experience from being about the “game” with a finite end (out of quarters!), to being about the “event”, playing pool, enjoying the time around the table, being with your friends, and enjoying the beverage/food service that the operator provides.    

• Make more $$ with Variable Rates

  • With the Fee Machine tablet, it’s easy to create Rental Rates that vary based on the time of day, and day of week. 
    • It’s easy to set up different rates for “Weekday Daily”, “Weeknight”, “Weekday Lunch”, “Weekend Day”, “Weekend Nite”, and “Late Nite” rates.   
    • This gives the Operator opportunities to promote these rates to their target clientele.  
    • The Fee Machine tablet always calculates the right fee. Your Bartenders never have to worry about how to calculate a fee no matter how many rates you have!
  • Do you want to have special rates for Pool Leagues and Private Parties?  
    • With the Fee Machine tablet, it’s easy to set up and manage multiple rate structures so that Operators can develop new opportunities to attract regular customers.

• Different ways of charging

  • With the Fee Machine tablet, you can also
    • Charge by Player, charging X for Players 1 and 2, and Y for Players 3 and 4, etc.  
    • You can configure the Fee Machine tablet to report Fees by Player, so that each person knows what they owe.
  • Flat Rate fees is another option with the Fee Machine tablet.    A typical example might be a “Weekday Day” rate where Pool is charged for 2 hours at $15, paid either up front or at the end of the rental.
  • Fee Rounding is another option with the Fee Machine tablet to make it easier for Patrons to understand their bill.  
    • With Fee Rounding enabled, the Fee Machine tablet will round the total (or individual player) bills to the nearest Quarter, Dollar, or whatever amount you choose.

• Track Players from Table to Table (and their Fees!)

  • Do you want to create an environment where Players can move from table to Table? 
    • The Fee Machine tablet is designed to transfer players from Table to Table and move their fees with them.

Elevate your operation’s bar billiards/darts/shuffleboard experience to a new level with Fee Machine.  Contact us today!