u/narjiday

I've been brainstorming low-maintenance side hustles that don't require a ton of upfront cash or daily attention.

One idea I keep coming back to: putting a small automated coffee brewer in an office with 15–30 people. No cafe rent, no employees, just restocking beans and milk once a week, plus a quick wipe-down of the machine.

From what I've rough-calculated:

• Machine cost: maybe $3k–$5k upfront or leased
• Weekly restock time: 1–2 hours per location
• Office pays a flat weekly fee or per cup
• Break-even might be 6–12 months depending on usage

Offices already pay for terrible drip coffee or broken Keurigs. Feels like a real gap for smaller companies that can't afford a full café setup.

Has anyone actually tried something like this? I'd love to know:

• How did you pitch it to office managers?
• What was the real weekly time commitment?
• Any unexpected costs (maintenance, repairs, liability)?

Thanks in advance.