Frozen drink machines, aka slushy machines, are possibly the best things for summer since the discovery of ice. They bless many establishments, from gas stations and university dining halls to bars and convenience stores, with their presence and offer delicious cold drinks to hot and bothered worldwide. They are the sight everyone searches for in restaurants and hotels.
Frozen drink machines are the must-have of any fast-food chain, and they are an inseparable piece of the theme parks and movie aesthetic. Not only are these incredible machines creating beautiful slushes and attracting customers all year round with their attractive colors, but they also are one of the most functional and efficient machines in the world.
Thanks to the recent improvements, this commercial restaurant equipment requires less daily maintenance and brings more profit. This article will explain the features and benefits of frozen drink machines and help you find the best-frozen drink machine for your establishment due to your needs.
Types of Frozen Drink Machines
There are several different types of frozen drink machines you could choose from based on the beverages you would like to offer at your restaurant and the kinds of drink mixes for frozen drink machines. They can produce margaritas, slushies, even coffee.
While the wide variety they offer is a great asset, you can ensure maximum efficiency by purchasing a better-suited machine to produce the drinks you want to present to your customers. Whether you are looking for a commercial frozen drink machine or a countertop frozen drink machine for your house, there is a model for you.
Powdered auto-fill slushy machines let you store the mixture powder in the machine and mix it up for you. You could save time by preparing powder mixtures and have consistently good results in beverages.
Liquid auto-fill slushy machines are similar to powder auto-fill frozen drink machines that let your store liquid mixtures in the machine. If you plan to use liquid mixes, you should invest in a liquid auto-fill frozen drink machine.
Standard pour-over frozen drink machines are probably the simplest models. You fill the machine with the beverage directly; this means the staff will prepare the mixtures and refill the machine manually as the drinks are sold. The prices are lower compared to the other models, and they are effortless to operate.
Benefits of Frozen Drink Machines
Owning a frozen drink machine can boost your business in many ways. Frozen drink machines attract many customers with their cool, colorful looks, but there are more benefits than meets the eye.
One of the most significant benefits of frozen drink machines is that they offer you the opportunity to expand your establishment’s menu with the delicious drinks they produce. Variety is of the essence for a business aiming to grow. The variety of products you have could be the factor that sways the customers in your direction. Many adventurous foodies will come to try out the new flavor in town, and after a while, people will start coming back to drink their favorite frozen drink at their favorite cafe.
Even though it might not be apparent at first sight, frozen drink machines can be the perfect opportunity for your business advertisement without spending money on agencies. Thanks to their colorful looks and gorgeous texture, frozen drinks are very instagrammable. You can count on your customers to post pictures of your drinks on their accounts and spread the word about where the best-frozen drinks can be found.
Frozen drinks are perfect solutions for promotions and upsell opportunities. Recommending your drinks on the way out or offering them a discount next to some food will get the customers’ interest and ensure constant customer flow in your establishment. You could even spice things up by changing the flavors now and then creating weekly or daily specials.
Last but not least, frozen drinks are fun. You could create exciting mixtures, give them cool names, and maybe even let your customers get customized drinks. You could also design little quizzes to discover their signature drinks and create an emotional bond between the customers and your store. The possibilities are truly endless with frozen drink machines.
Features of Frozen Drink Machines
Different frozen drink machines come with common additional features, such as affordable prices and customizable exteriors.
Did you know that you could customize the way your frozen drink machine looks to fit the interior design of your establishment? Almost all of the details are customizable. You could get sleek matte finishes or transparent bowls to display the drinks.
Good frozen drink machines will last you for a long time and stay in top condition due to their minimal designs. Fewer machinery parts mean fewer potential problems and a longer lifespan. With high-quality parts, you can ensure that you will not face issues out of the blue.
Frozen drink machines are affordable especially considering their low maintenance and highly profitable nature. You will have no problems finding a proper frozen drink equipment within your budget.
What Can You Make With Frozen Drink Machines?
Frozen drinks are trendy, especially among young customers, and you can make many different drinks with these machines. You could create or find unique recipes that will attract new customers, or you could go with classics and ensure customer loyalty. Here are some ideas and tips for you to enhance your business model with the help of frozen drink machines:
Nitro Coffee is the new trend that you should be jumping into if you haven’t already. It is one of the easiest drinks you could serve in your establishment since they are entirely made by your frozen drink machine and can be easily obtained through a tap. Using nitrogen instead of the usual CO2 helps you achieve a beautiful creamy texture without any cream whatsoever. All you have to do is get a frozen drink machine equipped with nitrogen and start serving the trendiest coffee in town.
Margaritas are the obvious way to go when you have a frozen alcoholic drink machine. They are timeless classics everyone will ask for. You could find tons of recipes for colorful margaritas.
Frozen Lemonades of all kinds will be very popular among your customers, especially the kids. Who could say no to a refreshing cold lemonade on a hot day? It will lead to some impulse buying 🙂
Smoothies are in high demand nowadays. People are looking for more fun and faster ways to get the vitamins out of fruits, and smoothies are the most delicious method.
Pina Coladas and other beach favorites are also great options you can easily make with your frozen drink machine. They are guaranteed to attract customers, especially if you are running a cute little bar by the beach. Summer wouldn’t be summer without frozen drinks, and beach wouldn’t be beach without Pina Coladas, after all. Alcoholic drink recipes for frozen drink machines are worth investing in and are bound to be quite popular among your customers.
You could make all of these and more with your frozen drink machines. All you need is some creativity and a couple of ingredients. Once you are done with your frozen drink menu, no one will be able to resist the temptation of your magical cold drinks.
Top Frozen Drink Machine Manufacturers
Where I can buy frozen drink machines is a common question. Choosing a good manufacturer while purchasing a commercial frozen drink machine is important to ensure high quality and maximum efficiency. Here are some of the best brands in business you can look into:
Choosing The Right Frozen Drink Equipment
There are several factors you need to pay attention to while getting your frozen drink machine. By choosing the right slushy machine, you can make sure that you get efficient results.
Capacity is possibly the most crucial detail in regard to frozen drink machines. An ideal frozen drink machine will meet your demands and not run out on you in the middle of the day. In a high-demand, fast-paced work environment, no one has the time to refill the machines constantly. So you must consider the average capacity you will need for your establishment and get a machine with enough bowls/hoppers.
It would be best if you also considered your staff limitations. If you are understaffed and do not have the time to dedicate to operating a frozen drink machine, it is better to invest in a low-maintenance machine that your staff or customers could easily use.
While the prices are affordable in general, it is still an important point to pay attention to. After narrowing down your expectations for the ideal machine for you, you could find one within your budget.
As mentioned earlier, frozen drink machines are very customizable. You could get one suited to the aesthetic of your establishment and create a smooth, sleek vibe.
You should also take into account the adaptability of the machine you are planning on buying. The more beverages your machine can make, the better for you.
Should You Buy a New Frozen Drink Machine, or Should You Rent or Lease One?
You might be curious about different options when it comes to getting your frozen drink machine. Should you buy a new frozen drink machine? Should you rent a frozen drink machine? Maybe you should try leasing. What about used frozen drink machines? There are many options, and it could get overwhelming, but with a simple pros and cons approach, you could easily make the decision that is right for you and your business.
Buying your frozen drink machine means committing. If you plan to use the machine long-term and believe that it will be a profitable venture for your business, it makes sense to buy your frozen drink machine. Yet, you should keep in mind the cost of maintaining the machine and keeping it in top condition.
Renting frozen drink machines is a good option if you aren’t entirely sure if it will be a good investment for you and you want to explore your options. For new businesses and seasonal establishments such as fairs and theme parks, renting save you the trouble of maintaining the machine all year round and offers you flexibility. Though the renting might cost you a tad too much monthly compared to leasing and buying. Plus, you probably will not be able to get the machine you specifically want since you are confined to choosing from the rental place and won’t be able to see the results of owning the best-frozen drink machine you could have had for your business.
Leasing frozen drink machines might be the most logical path for unsure business owners who would like to experiment with the best-frozen drink machines on the market. You could lease the machine of your choice and see how it works out for you. Considering that the monthly fee is lower than rent, it makes the most sense, yet keep in mind that lease terms are fixed and not as flexible as rentals. Also, even though you will be paying less monthly, in the end, you will have spent a significant sum and still not own the machine.
So, as you have probably figured it out, the path you will take mainly depends on how much you would like to commit to a frozen drink machine and how much you can afford in the initial stage. All options have their pros and cons, but there are no wrong choices. Consider your situation and make your decision accordingly.
Last but not least, should you get a new frozen drink machine or a used frozen drink machine? Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, and it all comes down to your specific wishes and needs.
Buying a used frozen drink machine will require you to pay less in the initial stage and save you some money but it might cost you a lot in the long run with repair and maintenance. You might not even get a warranty and find the help you need. If you can afford it, it might be more logical for you to buy a new frozen drink machine for several reasons.
First of all, as mentioned before, you could customize the appearance of your machine to fit the interior image of your establishment. It might not sound like an important detail, but a good appearance will make a good impression on customers. Secondly, you will have access to the latest developments and have a warranty to help you through any problems you might face. Plus, there will be fewer potential issues since it is a brand-new machine.
The choice is yours, and once again, there are no wrong choices. All options are good in their ways and could benefit you as long as they match your needs.
Where Can You Install It?
Installation location is an important detail for two main reasons. First of all, you should make sure that your frozen drink machine aesthetically fits in with the rest of your design. If you plan to purchase a basic model, you could consider placing it in the kitchen to avoid unaesthetic appearances.
Secondly, you must pay attention to whether your model is air-cooled, self-contained, or water-cooled. If it is air-cooled, the machine needs room for ventilation and should not be placed against walls. Remote models won’t present such issues, but they are more expensive compared to other models. In addition to these two points, you should, of course, consider the size of your equipment. While the majority of the models are countertop frozen drink machines with one or two hoppers, if you are planning on getting a larger model, you should keep in mind that you will need more space.
Maintenance of Frozen Drink Machines And Repair/Replacing
Frozen drink machines are reasonably easy to operate, and they usually require little maintenance, but you might face problems if your frozen drink equipment isn’t of good quality. Best frozen drink machines usually last as long as six to seven years and require only a handful of service calls throughout the year. Make sure the parts of your machine are of high quality, and try to purchase one of the best-rated frozen drink machines. This way, you could minimize the possibility of problems and deal with fewer maintenance problems. Even if the initial purchasing price is a little high compared to other machines, top frozen drink machines will cost you less in the long run.
While frozen ice drink machines don’t require much from you, it is important to sanitize them frequently to avoid any health hazards. After purchasing a good slushy machine for your establishment, you should dedicate some time to cleaning and keeping your machine in top condition. You should also ensure that the condenser coil and filter are kept clean for your machine to work properly. Also, many companies are offering professional maintenance services. By arranging periodical appointments, you could avoid surprise breakdowns.
Conclusion
To sum up, frozen drink machines are the future of many businesses, and they are destined to take over people’s hearts. Good luck with your search! You could find one for your establishment and make sure you don’t miss out on this beautiful, highly profitable trend that will outlive many classics.
4 comments On Frozen Drink Machine: Hot Summer Refresher
Slushie machines are a device that makes healthy, refreshing drinks. It has two main parts: the tank and the core. The tank is where the liquid is stored, and the core is where the liquid is frozen. It is important to make sure the liquid is at the right temperature before you put it into the tank because if it is too cold, it will not freeze. After you have put the liquid into the tank, the core needs to be frozen.
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