The Business Case for a Cashless Laundromat: Higher Revenue, Less Admin, Happier Customers

Running a laundromat on coins alone is becoming a liability. For owners evaluating whether a cashless laundromat or hybrid model makes financial sense, the numbers are hard to ignore.

Cash use is falling fast. In many developed markets, cash transactions are declining by more than 12% per year, while digital payments now account for over 75% of retail transactions. 

Customers expect tap-and-go. If they can’t pay easily, they leave.

For laundromat owners, this shift isn’t theoretical. It shows up as lost revenue, wasted hours handling coins, higher theft risk and frustrated customers. 

This article lays out a clear business case for moving to a cashless or hybrid laundromat, backed by data, real-world results and practical operational benefits. It also shows how Bubblepay makes the transition simple and profitable.

1. Revenue Growth That Pays for Itself

A cashless laundromat isn’t just more convenient. It earns more.

Independent studies and operator reported data consistently show that card-enabled laundromats generate 17–22% higher revenue than cash-only sites. 

Some report up to 49% higher revenue once card readers and kiosks are introduced. Customers also spend more per visit – in some cases up to 120% more per transaction when paying by card or mobile wallet.

Why?

• No customer walks away because they don’t have coins

• Card payments remove spending friction

• Digital pricing enables flexible offers and upsells

By 2026, an estimated 65% of laundromats globally will be card-enabled, and 85% of customers already prefer cashless payments. Sticking with coins alone increasingly means serving a shrinking audience.

Bubblepay supports hybrid setups  (cards, mobile wallets, QR codes and cash) so you increase revenue without turning away customers who still prefer coins.

2. Faster, Smoother Customer Experience

Laundry isn’t a luxury purchase. Customers want speed and certainty.

With a modern laundromat payment kiosk or QR payment system, customers can:

• Tap or scan and start a machine in seconds

• Pay with card, Apple Pay or Google Pay

• Avoid queues, jammed coin slots and broken changers

Bubblepay takes this further. Customers can receive SMS alerts when cycles finish, see machine availability and, if they choose, manage everything through a simple customer app, without being forced to download anything.

The result is fewer complaints, higher repeat visits and better word-of-mouth. Convenience compounds.

3. Less Admin. Fewer Site Visits. More Control.

Coin-operated laundromats are labour-intensive behind the scenes.

Owners typically spend 5–10 hours per week collecting coins, clearing jams, refilling hoppers and troubleshooting machines. Coin mechanisms overflow. They fail. They require physical presence.

A cashless laundromat payment system fundamentally changes laundromat management.:

• No regular coin collection

• Far fewer machine jams

• Remote visibility into machine status and revenue

Bubblepay’s MIC retrofit device installs in minutes with no tools and works with existing machines. From the owner app, you can monitor performance, adjust pricing, add credit and manage machines from anywhere which reduces management time by up to 80%.

That’s not just efficiency. That’s time returned to the business or back to your life.

4. Security Without the Stress

Cash attracts problems.

Coin boxes invite break-ins, vandalism and internal shrinkage. Even one incident can wipe out weeks of profit through repairs and downtime.

Modern cashless laundry systems remove physical cash from the equation. Transactions are encrypted. Kiosks are tamper-resistant. Activity is logged digitally.

Bubblepay systems also work offline, maintaining a 99.97% transaction success rate even during internet outages. Owners receive alerts and can access live video support if something goes wrong, reducing downtime and panic when issues arise.

Fewer break-ins. Fewer insurance claims. More peace of mind.

5. Loyalty Programs That Actually Get Used

Coins don’t build relationships. Digital payments do.

Cashless systems unlock loyalty, promotions and flexible pricing that simply aren’t possible with coins alone:

• X washes = 1 free

• Happy-hour pricing during quiet periods

• Bonus credit for preloading funds

A real example is Nina’s Laundrette, which uses a Bubblepay kiosk and QR payments to run a simple wash club. Customers preload credit, receive $1–$2 off each wash and earn bonuses, increasing repeat visits and customer lifetime value.

Loyalty doesn’t need plastic cards or complex apps. With Bubblepay, it’s built into the payment flow.

6. Data That Drives Smarter Decisions

A coin box tells you one thing: how full it is. A cashless laundromat management system tells you everything else.

With real-time data, owners can see:

• Revenue by machine and time of day

• Peak vs quiet periods

• Machine utilisation and faults

• Customer behaviour and return rates

Bubblepay’s owner app puts this data at a glance. Prices and promotions can be adjusted remotely. Performance issues are spotted early. The MIC device even includes hazard detection sensors for fire, gas or leaks which will flag problems before they escalate.

Data turns guesswork into strategy.

7. Why Bubblepay Stands Apart

Not all cashless systems are built for laundromats or for Australian operators.

Bubblepay is different:

• All-in-one kiosk: cards, mobile wallets, QR and cash

• Works offline with 99.97% transaction success

• Plug-and-play MIC retrofit for existing machines

• Owner and customer apps for full visibility and control

• Real-time analytics and remote machine management

• Free installation

• 24/7 Australian-based support with live video help

It’s not just a payment terminal. It’s an operating system for modern laundromats, built to reduce hassle, increase revenue and scale with you.

The tone, clarity and no-nonsense positioning behind Bubblepay’s messaging reflects this focus on control, speed and profitability .

The Bottom Line

A cashless laundromat isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about running a stronger business. 

More revenue. Less admin. Better security. Happier customers.

Whether you go fully cashless or start with a hybrid laundromat payment system, the data is clear: digital payments pay back.

Take the Next Step

If you’re considering upgrading your laundromat, see the system in action.

Book a free Bubblepay demo and explore how the kiosk, MIC and apps can modernise your operation without ripping out your existing machines.

Stress-free payments. Smarter operations. Growth on autopilot.