How it works: answer eight questions about your site and the scorer returns a score out of 100, the points behind each line, and anything that would stop a placement. It runs the same scoring code as VendFynd's /host qualifier, so the result here matches the one you'd get there. Nothing is saved or sent.
This is for owners, managers and property managers in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley who want a straight answer before talking to anyone. It's built by a vending locator with years of experience placing machines across the Lower Mainland.
The scorer needs JavaScript. Without it, you can still score your site by hand with the tables below: add the points for each line, then check the blockers.
How the score is built
The score has six lines that add up to 100. These are the same weights and cut-offs the /host qualifier uses (form version host-2026-09-26).
| Line | Points | What earns them |
|---|---|---|
| Location type | up to 30 | How well the type of site suits vending (table below) |
| Foot traffic | up to 25 | People on site a day: staff + visitors, plus 1.5 residents per unit, plus 30% of gym members |
| Hours open | up to 15 | 24/7 = 15, 100+ h a week = 13, 80+ = 11, 60+ = 8, fewer = 5, unknown = 6 |
| Size | up to 15 | 40+ staff, 150+ units or 500+ members = 15; 20+ staff, 80+ units or 200+ members = 10; smaller = 3 |
| Reachable | 10 | Given on the /host form when you leave an email and phone |
| Service area | up to 5 | 5 inside Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley edge, 1 outside |
Location type points: warehouses and industrial 30; gyms 29; auto service 27; apartments and hotels 26; offices and colleges 24; senior living and student housing 23; clinics and laundromats 21; rec centres 20; entertainment and "something else" 18; self storage 17; coworking and community or faith centres 15; salons, barbers and tattoo studios 11.
Foot traffic points rise on a log scale up to 1,000 people a day: about 10 people earns 9 points, 50 earns 14, 100 earns 17, 300 earns 21, 500 earns 22 and 1,000 or more earns the full 25. Going from 10 to 100 people matters far more than going from 500 to 1,000.
How to read the result: 70 or more with no blockers is a great fit; 50 to 69 is a likely fit; under 50, or any blocker, means we'll check. A "we'll check" isn't a no. It means a site visit decides it.
Blockers (any one of these means a check first): no floor space yet, no outlet near the spot, happy with the vending you already have, or outside the usual service area.
What the score can't see
- The spot itself. A machine needs a level floor, a grounded outlet and clearance from exits. The scorer asks, but only a look confirms it.
- Power cost. A full-size refrigerated drink machine uses about 1,354–1,456 kWh a year (US DOE FEMP). At BC Hydro's Small General Service energy charge of 14.06¢/kWh, that's about $190–205 a year, or $16–17 a month.
- Hybrid offices. Staff "on site on a normal day" is the number that counts, not headcount on payroll. Our guide for Vancouver offices covers hybrid headcounts and building approvals.
About this data
The scorer is VendFynd's own model. It runs host-fit.js, the same file the /host qualifier runs on submit, which mirrors the Lead Finder Location Score for the vending-locations playbook. The location-type weights come from that playbook. The thresholds (about 30–40 staff or 150+ units as a usual minimum) match the criteria in our site-fit checklist. The power figures are from the US Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program and BC Hydro's published business rates, checked on 2026-09-26. The rubric changes when the playbook changes; the page will say so when it does.
Sources
- VendFynd /host qualifier scoring, form version host-2026-09-26: https://vendfynd.com/host
- US DOE FEMP, "Purchasing energy-efficient refrigerated beverage vending machines" (updated December 2023): https://www.energy.gov/femp/purchasing-energy-efficient-refrigerated-beverage-vending-machines, accessed 2026-09-26
- BC Hydro, Business rates: https://app.bchydro.com/accounts-billing/rates-energy-use/electricity-rates/business-rates.html, accessed 2026-09-26
- City of Vancouver, Business licences (open data): https://opendata.vancouver.ca/explore/dataset/business-licences/, accessed 2026-09-26