For many laundromat owners, cash has always felt like a constant. Coins and bills are familiar, tangible, and historically reliable. So, when the idea of eliminating cash comes up, it often triggers understandable concerns:
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Will I lose customers?
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Is this too risky?
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Is cashless really cheaper, or just different?
This article is not about telling every owner to go cashless. Instead, it’s about helping owners understand why many operators are choosing to eliminate or dramatically reduce cash, what the real trade-offs are, and how to evaluate whether it makes sense for their specific store. I eliminated my changer in my Lebanon, TN store, and it was the best thing I ever did.
1. Cash Has Hidden Costs That Are Easy to Underestimate
Most owners think of cash as “free” because there are no processing fees. But cash has operational costs that don’t always show up neatly on a statement.
Common cash-related costs include:
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Time spent collecting, counting, rolling, and reconciling money
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Coin jams and bill acceptor failures
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Emergency service calls caused by coin mechanisms
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Theft, skimming, or unexplained shortages
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Trips to the bank or armored car service fees
When owners fully account for labor, downtime, maintenance, and risk, cash often costs more than expected—especially as wages and service costs continue to rise.
2. Cash Increases Risk—for Owners, Staff, and the Business
Cash-heavy stores are more attractive targets for:
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Robbery
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Vandalism
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Break-ins after hours
Even in low-crime areas, the presence of cash creates exposure. Many owners who reduce or eliminate cash report:
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Fewer break-ins
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Less damage to machines
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Less anxiety about late-night collections
From an operational standpoint, less cash usually means a safer store.
3. Customer Payment Expectations Have Changed
Customer behavior has shifted dramatically over the past decade.
Many customers now expect:
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Tap-to-pay with credit/debit cards
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Apple Pay / Google Pay
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App-based payment options
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No need to carry coins
While some customers still prefer cash, especially in certain demographics, a growing portion of users—particularly younger customers and families—actively choose stores that feel convenient and modern.
Owners should ask:
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Am I losing customers because payment feels inconvenient?
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Would cashless attract a different (or broader) customer base?
4. Cashless Payments Improve Visibility into the Business
Cash makes it difficult to answer important questions like:
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Which machines actually make the most money?
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What times of day drive the most revenue?
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Are certain machines underperforming?
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Are prices optimized for demand?
Cashless systems often provide:
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Machine-level revenue tracking
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Time-of-day and day-of-week data
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Faster detection of problems or anomalies
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Cleaner reconciliation and reporting
Better data leads to better pricing, better maintenance decisions, and better profitability.
5. Fewer Coins Means Fewer Mechanical Problems
Coin mechanisms are one of the most failure-prone parts of a laundromat.
Reducing or eliminating cash typically leads to:
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Fewer jammed machines
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Less downtime
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Fewer emergency service calls
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Higher customer satisfaction
Even owners who remain hybrid (cash + cashless) often notice improvements simply by reducing coin volume.
6. Cashless Enables Loyalty, Promotions, and Repeat Business
Cash transactions are anonymous. Cashless transactions are not.
With cashless platforms, owners can:
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Offer loyalty rewards
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Run promotions during slow periods
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Issue digital refunds or credits
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Communicate with customers directly
This allows the laundromat to operate more like a modern retail business rather than a purely transactional service.
7. Scaling Is Harder with Cash
As owners add locations or reduce hands-on involvement, cash becomes a bottleneck.
Cashless operations support:
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Centralized reporting across multiple stores
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Easier delegation to managers or attendants
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Reduced reliance on trusted individuals handling cash
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Cleaner audits and accounting
For owners thinking about expansion, partnerships, or eventual sale, cashless infrastructure is increasingly expected.
8. Eliminating Cash Is a Process, not a Switch
One of the biggest misconceptions is that going cashless must be abrupt.
Successful transitions often include:
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A hybrid period (cash + cashless)
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Clear signage and customer education
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On-site kiosks or staff assistance
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Gradual reduction of cash acceptance
Most customers adapt faster than owners expect—especially when the process is well-communicated.
9. Cashless Is Not Right for Every Store—But It Deserves Serious Evaluation
Factors that influence the decision include:
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Customer demographics
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Store location and hours
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Attended vs unattended operation
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Number of locations
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Long-term ownership goals
The goal is not to follow trends blindly, but to align payment strategy with business strategy.
Final Thought
The real question for laundromat owners is no longer:
“Should I ever go cashless?”
It is:
“How much cash do I really need, and what is it costing me to keep it?”
For many owners, reducing or eliminating cash leads to:
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Lower operational stress
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Better insight into the business
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Safer stores
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Stronger long-term positioning
A thoughtful evaluation—rather than fear or habit—puts owners in control of the decision.