Contactless payments in 24-hour vending: the Olvidos 24 horas case

24-hour public vending is evolving alongside changing consumer habits. In this environment, reduced cash usage, increased competition, and users who expect fast, contactless payments all coexist — along with the need to deliver a smooth experience that encourages repeat usage.
In this context, contactless payments in vending machines are only the starting point. The real difference lies in offering an experience that invites users to come back, even in unattended environments.
In this article, we analyze the real case of Olvidos 24 horas, a 24-hour vending operator that implemented Frekuent’s contactless payment and loyalty solutions and also developed its own anti-vandalism system to protect machines in public spaces.

The context: 24-hour vending in increasingly demanding public environments

Olvidos 24 horas began as a family-led project focused on 24-hour public vending in open, unattended locations. From the very beginning, its founder understood that vending is not a passive business, but rather an unattended one that requires ongoing management, location analysis, and adaptability.
Over time, the environment evolved:

• More vending machines and 24-hour retail locations
• Reduced cash usage among consumers
• Users accustomed to paying by card and mobile
• Increased margin pressure
• Stronger competition to attract and retain customers

In this scenario, it is no longer enough for a machine to simply function properly. User experience, and the payment system behind it, plays a key role in driving repeat usage.

Early challenges: upfront investment and location validation

As David explains, one of the main challenges when starting the project was the initial investment required. Many solutions on the market demand a significant upfront cost, even before knowing whether a location will be profitable.
For this reason, Olvidos 24 horas chose more flexible alternatives, taking on greater technical and operational involvement. The priority was clear: reduce financial risk and validate each location before scaling.

From cash to contactless payments and loyalty: a necessary shift

During the early years, the vending machines operated exclusively with cash. Initially using coin mechanisms and later bill acceptors, they identified a recurring issue: many users were unable to complete a purchase if they only carried coins.
However, after opening a second store with different performance and observing a clear shift in consumer behavior, especially after COVID, a key conclusion emerged: cash was no longer sufficient. Improving the user experience and encouraging repeat visits became essential.
This led to the search for contactless payment solutions designed for 24-hour vending.

The decision: why Frekuent as a contactless payment solution

The first contact with Frekuent took place at a vending industry trade fair. After reviewing several contactless payment solutions for vending machines, the decision was based on several key factors:

• Low upfront investment, ideal for small and mid-sized operators
• A flexible model that allows validation of whether a location truly needs card payments
• A visual and intuitive device design
• Simple installation without complex banking operations
• Contactless payments combined with loyalty tools

Frekuent was not perceived solely as a way to accept contactless payments, but as a more comprehensive solution to manage payments, improve user experience, and adapt to unattended environments.

Business impact: sales stabilization and recovery

Before implementing contactless payments, one of the main stores began to show signs of stagnation, influenced by an increasingly competitive environment.
After installing Frekuent’s contactless payment system and implementing additional operational actions, the business trajectory gradually changed:

• Sales trends stabilized
• The business began a gradual recovery
• Currently, approximately 35% of sales are paid by card

While it is difficult to isolate the exact revenue impact, the operator highlights that adopting contactless payments was a key step in adapting to new payment habits and maintaining competitiveness at the point of sale.

Daily management and operational control with Frekuent

Olvidos 24 horas operates as a small structure, managed directly by its owners, with three active locations and a fourth in preparation.
In this context, Frekuent adds an additional layer of control:

• Sales visibility by location
• Support for daily decision-making
• Improved restocking planning
• Reduced unnecessary travel

Although the full dashboard potential, particularly position-level stock control, is not fully utilized, the operator highlights its value for companies managing routes and larger machine networks.

Key learnings for 24-hour vending operators

The Olvidos 24 horas case offers several relevant insights for the sector:

• Contactless payments are the foundation, but loyalty drives differentiation
• Lower upfront investment facilitates location validation
• Flexibility is critical for small and mid-sized operators
• User recurrence is essential in unattended environments
• Data visibility, even at a high level, improves daily operations

An anti-vandalism solution born from real experience

Recurring vandalism issues led Olvidos 24 horas to develop its own anti-vandalism solution for vending machines: Vandalstop.
The system detects impacts in real time, activates a deterrent response, and sends notifications to the operator, enabling fast action. As a result, vandalism stops being an invisible problem and can be managed proactively. Today, Vandalstop protects vending machines across multiple locations in Spain.
As David, founder and owner of Olvidos 24 horas, explains:
“This was born from a problem we faced ourselves. We realized that if there were a signal, an alarm, or a notification at the very first impact, many vandalism incidents would never escalate. That’s when we saw it could become a real solution for other operators.”
This approach, adapting to real-world conditions and solving everyday problems, aligns closely with Frekuent’s philosophy: technology designed for the real world.
Learn more about the solution at Vandalstop.

Conclusion: loyalty as a driver of 24-hour vending profitability

The Olvidos 24 horas case reflects an increasingly common reality in public vending: changing payment habits directly impact business viability. Adopting digital payments not only responds to user expectations, but also becomes a tool to stabilize sales and make better operational decisions.
Beyond technology, the key lies in adaptability and in choosing solutions that allow businesses to evolve without taking unnecessary risks.

Do you manage 24-hour vending machines?

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