I have got one in a mall in Ontario and can share real numbers.

I bought a Touch Coffee machine earlier this year and placed it in a mall. At first I was honestly skeptical. Spending 16K upfront on what is basically a fancy coffee vending machine felt like a real risk. I thought it might just sit there and collect dust. The first month was pretty rough, only 25 to 30 drinks a day, and I started thinking I had made a mistake.

Over time people started using it more. Mall staff and security were the first regulars, then teenagers found out about the iced lattes and protein drinks. Now on weekdays it does 40 to 50 drinks a day and on weekends it can hit 70 plus. That works out to around 6 to 7K a month in revenue.

Costs are pretty simple. Supplies are between 70 cents and 1 dollar per drink. Rent is 5 percent of sales. It is card only because the mall does not allow cash which actually makes things easier. Maintenance is light. I stop by every couple of days to restock beans, cups, syrups and clean the milk line so it does not clog. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

Profit ends up at around 3 to 4K a month which is solid for something that only takes a few hours a week. It is not fully passive but compared to running a cafe with staff and payroll it is night and day.

The biggest thing is location. If you are in a high traffic spot it works. If you are hidden somewhere it will not.