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The Ultimate Guide to Earning More with Your Slushie Machine

Slushie machine

Slushie machines are a great addition to any quick-service (QSR) or full-service (FSR) restaurant. While they are often called slushie machines, slush is not the only product that Spaceman machines can produce!  In this article, we’re going to focus on one of the most popular products that our customers use our machines for, and that is frozen beverages, more specifically, frozen cocktails. Frozen cocktails can serve as a great way to get a high ROI on your slushie machine, so we’re here to give you a few extra tips and insights on the best ways to earn the most profits possible with your Spaceman machine.

1. Expand Your Menu – Offer Frozen

You can’t sell what you don’t have – and it goes without saying, but an awesome way to sell more slushies is by expanding your menu. You’ll get a little more option with a dual-flavor Spaceman machine rather than a single flavors, but even still, we recommend trying out new flavors and seeing how your customers respond. It’s a trial-and-error process, but you’ll quickly learn which flavors are working and which are not when you switch up your menu every now and then.  You may find that sometimes, you can’t beat a classic.  Dallas based chain Mi Cocina reports their Mamo Taxi drives 95% of their liquor sales!

2. Increase Customer Loyalty

You’ve heard it before – a happy customer is a repeat customer. If we do our jobs properly – they’ll come by for some food and drinks, enjoy the entire experience, and then rave about it to all their friends! To do this, you need your business environment to be a welcoming and exciting one. How can you do this with a slushie machine you may ask? How about some punch cards?! We love the idea of “Buy 4 slushies get the 5th one free” or “50% off your 10th slushie”. This gives customers a fun incentive to keep buying your product, and it also gives them a goal to reach! Note: this recommendation is for non-alcoholic frozen drinks only.  

3. Offer Seasonal Specials

A great way to create buzz around your products is is through LTO’s or Limited Time Offerings. It is a known fact that limited-time discounts and promotions create a sense of urgency and encourage customers to act immediately. A great way to implement a program like this at your business is by offering seasonal slushies. For example, a Frozen Eggnog around Christmas time, or a Frozen Pumpkin Spice Latte when fall begins. Customers will flock in, eager to try these limited-time drinks, and then once the holiday is over and you’re getting ready to discontinue that certain slushie, you can offer a promotion to clear out the rest of the inventory.

4. Partner with Other Businesses

Another great way to get the most out of your slushie machine is by partnering with other businesses and collaborating! This is a great way to inform potential customers about your slushies because you’ll be bringing in so many customers who are fans of your partner’s business! For example, if you’re a small-town restaurant owner and you know there’s a winery close by, you can try to set up a deal with the winery and get wine from them that you turn into a slushie! This way your loyal customers get to try something new, all the winery’s customers will want to head over to your restaurant once they find out that their favorite wine is now being served frozen, and the winery gets more exposure and recognition! It’s a win-win for everyone.

5. Renting Your Machine

An unusual but still great way to get the most profits out of your slushie machine is by renting it out. If you don’t own a restaurant or a bar, but you’re still trying to start a business that revolves around frozen beverages, this one’s for you! You won’t need to rent a spot out to serve customers, all you need is your machine! Some of our customers purchase several machines from us and transport them to where the customer requests it. This could be someone’s backyard, a catering hall, a sports event – wherever! You bring the party with you.

6. Sell Pre-Made Slushies

Last but not least, selling pre-made slushies can be a great way to boost profits and earn the most with your slushie machine. Selling fresh slushies is always the best, but when you have leftovers, instead of throwing them out, it can be a good idea to put them in disposable bottles and store them in the freezer. Customers can then come in and purchase drinks to go, or even better, buy party packs! You can sell them in packs of 4, 6, or 8, and then customers can take them back home to enjoy with a group of friends. (You can check out one of our customers that does a great job of this here.) This is a great way to ensure happy customers and minimize waste.

As you can see, there are many ways to maximize profits with your slushie machine. The options listed above are only a fraction of the potential opportunities that await you and your Spaceman frozen beverage machine, so get mixing, begin pouring, and start earning!

Cheers!