Buy more EM's that's what I do. Supposedly people actually play these things. I don't so I just invite people over to play them for me instead.

At a $1 per game? No way. For fifty cents, maybe. At 25 cents YES!

If you're going around adjusting 43 relays in your machine, I suspect you'll find something to keep yourself entertained

I'm also in Milford, let me know where you put it and I'll be sure to play it at 50c. Tribus or Dockside?

Out of space!
Buy a storage unit you say? Hmm...good idea!

It’s called a front hall closet.

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EMs are great at $.25 - just set it at 3 balls. They're usually quick play and if you want actual drop, you'd rather have them played 100x at the lower price than just one or two at $1. I mean, price it however you want and see what happens. Coin box doesn't lie.

Oof, $1 for an EM is a stretch. However every location is different so it might work, and if not you can always lower the price per play later on.

I don't know about using SBA coins though, from my experience a lot of plays from normies are impulse based and you want to remove as many barriers between that initial urge and their money entering the machine. Having to go up to the counter and exchange their bills for SBAs might discourage a potential player from even bothering.

Doubly so if that potential player tries to put quarters into the machine and it spits them back out. Normies do not read or investigate, no matter how much signage you post. If the machine doesn't act the way they expect most are going to just assume it's broken and not ask how to play.

I would suggest $0.50 per play at 5 Balls if the EMs are by themselves. I ran some EMs at $0.25 before switching to freeplay and while they were routinely the highest played, they were also always the lowest earners; it was okay though because they were mostly just a net to catch cheapskate players and left over quarters from the $0.75 machines.

Also leave Match and Replays on for the pinheads, normies don't understand those anyway and usually just get spooked by the knocker.

I have 2 of my machines down at my antique booths, in old town Orange California…I guess my rent covers electricity- both of my machines are set on a Quarter each, with the match on…I would feel like a thief if I had my 1962 Sunset machine set at anything over a quarter- good luck making a game last more than minute and a half, this has to be the biggest drain monster on the planet.

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Cities are always looking for ways to make money. They do look. And other ops will rat you out in a heart beat. Customers too, the one that smiles to your face has no problem stabbing you in the back. Not to mention people that don't like pinball.

And some cities impose fines for unlicensed equipment or even confiscate the equipment.

LTG : )

$.50 yes
$1.00 no

No.

Pipe dream brewery in Manchester, NH has 2 EM’s at .25 and they get little play.

.25 if there's nothing else to play.
.50 no.
1.00 no way.

For those ops who disable replays, specials, and match, I am going to not play your pins just on principle, whereas I might otherwise spend all afternoon pumping in coins chasing the knock. But at least you are saving on wear and tear.

Hi guys, I still sometimes put my Restored PIN in pubs.
The question of price was always an issue. In the end, we ended up with one euro.
Basis is but the PIN works like new, and the playing time is set fairly. The possibility of free spins should also fit. I control the free spins by counter and would like a rate of min 20% Max 35%. The restored machines are antiques and I point it out in a card. Who wants to play a good EM must go far with us. And the person of 1 euro that is not worth it will not play more even at less. I sell time for good entertainment, and that can only good well-kept pins, no matter what age.
And it is something special to play such an old pin.
The cash register is o.k. And it is not to underestimate that the old pins need more care.
Greetings Pit from Germany

Agreed, but I was surprised to read in an earlier post that said that folks like us aren’t the major sources of revenue. I’m also someone who scans a line of machines to see if anyone left a replay on one (something that I see a lot of and assume it’s because an inexperienced player didn’t know that they earned a replay—at least I no longer check coin returns for the occasional quarter!). Perhaps this is another reason why people who know pinball aren’t the best customers (though I do what I think is my fair share of contributing).

no

If you had something like a Jacks Open set up for a buck a play, I'm probably good for a game or two for nostalgia's sake alone. On the other hand, if it is set to a quarter a play, I'm much more likely to park there and keep playing, trying to outdo my last score. In the end, the op comes out ahead.

I just don't see how casuals are supposed to be more profitable than regular pinheads. I know when I go to places like Flippers, I'm feeding twenties into the coin changer, not singles or fives. It would take a lot of casuals to match that.

Its simple... There are a 100 casuals to every 1 pinhead and almost none of them get replays, but everyone of them has a blast playing. They pump quarters in just the same. Open an arcade and find out. Its easy

By the way we have matches and replays on every machine. Lol. I'm just trying to help you understand as you suggested that you don't.

You spend $20 that lasts an afternoon. You come in once a month.

A casual spends $80 that lasts 45 minutes, their kids play a bunch of games, buys a t-shirt (wow, that pinball place was fun!) gets a couple of floats for the kids, etc, etc.

There are 100 casuals to 2 pinheads that come in. Bonus, I don't have to listen to a casual tell me that my flippers don't play like their flippers at home, I should get some invisiglass, and that the tilt is too tight.

How would you know if match is disabled?

There’s no match sequence.

I have this discussion constantly with my operator friend. He operates 20 pins ... I occasionally put pins on location.

He always has that stuff on ... I ask him why?

Does the $2 Sega Rally give you a free game for nothing?

Does the $1 jukebox give you a free song?

Does the 50c Donkey Kong give you a free game if you get to the kill screen?

His answer is “it’s tradition ...”

Which is fair enough. But I reckon it’s silly.

I have my games set to “replay” if you get your name up for a high score. That’s a good reward.

But I have “match” set low as it’ll go. Or off on the old games.

The reality, 95% of the people who play them don’t know what Match and Replay are anyway.

rd

In EM's, yes. I was responding to his quote which was complaining about OP's turning off those items (which, by him mentioning it, I assumed he was talking about SS/Modern pins since EM's do not have a match sequence).

*Ignore the above*

Really ?

LTG : )

Jeez, I got really confused. Ignore me folks. Vaccine foggy brain.

Haha. Yeah on EMs just show a number. If that’s disabled, you get nothing.

Modern games do not even have a match animation.

SS games you’ll see no match number.

I could maybe see match feature being disabled and justified but a replay is so well known you should generally keep it in a pay for play environment. Even if extra ball or points. Gives yet another goal for a player to shoot for.

If this is true and the casuals are really dropping a lot of coin on their visits, then I take your point. I will defer to the location operators. Good for them, and good for pinball. I guess I just don't see it when I'm playing out. Then again, I'm usually timing my trips during off hours.

This! I still keep replays, specials, and match turned on for my home games as well. I admit it may be a little silly. I'm not paying for those games, so I'm not really "winning" anything either, but it keeps it interesting and fun.

If you’re charging $1 and replays are turned off, you’re a crook. Haha

No not for a dollar but if an op was trying to find a reason to turn them off and justify it.

How are you going to get an EM to work on $1 per play. They're typically set up for one coin pulse per credit.

Two of the doublers, or a quadoubler.

LTG : )

There’s zero justification for turning them off imo unless they are on free play. Haha

Help pay for the license they need.

LTG : )

I would!

$25 bucks per game to make your patrons mad? I don’t see it. You’d lose me as a customer and I was one of the only ones willing to pay $1 per play. Haha

You don’t have to make the replay levels easy. Just that they exist.

Could be higher. And split with location. And insurance.

Anyone doing that would likely have a good reason.

LTG : )

Okay so we’re talking a different situation now. But still adjust the pricing to make it work for you and still leave the replays and matches on. It’s possible.

Darn. I was hoping for your fourth Haha.

LTG : (

Let me guess Lloyd. Your games have replays and match turned off.

ERW

Haha

20 ( soon to be 21 ) replays and match turned on. One replay and match turned off, Gottlieb Pinball Pool on a quarter play for the kiddies whose parents don't want to park their child on a more expensive game. Kids can monkey flip to their hearts content. Yet keep the good players from hogging it all day.

LTG : )

Two things here:

1. No idea what your shop is, but assuming its not a place with a bank of machines pinheads flock to - no ones opinion here matters.

2. Almost everyone here is telling me that if they saw an EM in the wild they wouldn't drop a buck because of some principle? If I'm at the laundromat or picking up my car I'll happily drop a toonie ($2.00) on ANY pin, just because its there.

Is speculation.

No one but an astute op knows what his players will put money in or not.

LTG : )

Have you considered not using the same pricing on all the games? Price one at a quarter, a couple at 50c and a few at a dollar. This moves the customer from the question "yes/no?" to "which one do I play?".

-Rob
-visit https://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my Pinball 2000 H+V Video Sync Combiner kit

Are you asking anyone in particular ?

If you meant me. I have one at 25¢, 5 at 50¢, 6 at 75¢ and 3 games for $2, 2 at $1 a game and 3 games for $2, and 6 at $1 and 6 games for $5, and one at $1 a game.

I try to have something for everybody.

LTG : )

It's less about cost per play and more about cost per minute. If I can play it for a couple minutes I don't care about shelling out a dollar. If it is a drain monster I just go on to the next pin.

Thought was directed at the OP when I typed but I appreciate you spelling out how and why you've implemented such a strategy.

-Rob
-visit https://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets or my Pinball 2000 H+V Video Sync Combiner kit

No

I would try it for a dollar.