A usual problem with barcades. Over time either interest in games drops and they change format to keep alcohol sales up, or prices go up.

Everybody's budget is different. I have 25¢ a play games, 75¢ a play games games, and $1 a play games. I try 3 games for $2 on the 75¢ games. And 6 games for $5 on the $1 a play games.

I try to have the assortment to have something for everyone's budget.

LTG : )

And then wonder what happened when places around them closed.

I should have kept track of how many places have come and gone in my area in the last 45 years. Especially the ones that were going to run me out of business.

LTG : )

I'm not a barcade. Alcohol isn't subsidizing my pinball machines.

I ran all my pins at 50¢ a play for too many years. I should have raised prices at least a few years sooner. I was sliding into oblivion and selling desirable games that I could have kept or at least kept longer.

The turning point was when a local posted on RGP in response to someone's post that I sold Safe Cracker and Indiana Jones. They'd posted " that's it, I'm not going in there anymore". Surprise, they weren't coming in anyway or I'd be doing better.

And I had a man stop in to play my early TZ. He suggested I make all games a quarter a play. Great, I would have to double my play to be in the same hell I was in, not figuring doubling maintenance. ( this same man about the same time he stopped in had filed bankruptcy because he lost his shirt in the payphone scam, gee, go figure ).

I'll always be grateful to those two. They helped me decide. TZ man in particular. He was barely out the door when I was changing games to 75¢ play.

That kept me alive during some really bad times.

LTG : )

If pinball machines made money. Operators would place them. Or if they were subsidized by something, like say alcohol i.e. barcades, you'd see them.

The last decade or so have seen a lot of barcades come and go. Some last, some don't. Once the attraction wears off and alcohol sales drop, they change format like dump the pins and try something else or close. Read old posts on RGP a decade ago when barcades were hot in Detroit. All the excitement when they were opening up, pinball is growing, pinball is coming back. Nobody followed up a few years later when they were mostly gone.

In my area Insert Coins came on like gangbusters three or four years ago. Changed format twice, and closed.

Unless your players are huge drinkers ( the ones complaining about $1 play, but don't mind $8 drinks or expensive food ) the alcohol sales will be a tough go. And once the people that do drink a lot, realize they are subsidizing the games which they don't care about. They drift away. It's a vicious cycle. Note the places already changing from 25¢ play to 50¢ play. They already see a problem with the format.

LTG : )

And can vary from place to place and game to game. Front to back nudging takes more than side to side. For me, on a rug seems more sensitive than on a smooth floor.

My original MM I always thought it was too sensitive, no matter how low I set it. ( centered and everything ) so I finally disconnected it. As long as players aren't abusive with it, I leave it off.

And some people, just don't realize their own strength.

LTG : )

Spend $17 less on food and beer would be less expensive.

LTG : )