OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. — The self-service laundry industry has entered 2026 in a period defined by momentum, uncertainty and rapid evolution.
Operators are adjusting to rising customer expectations, increasing competition, expanding technology options and new investor interest that continues to reshape how stores are built, run and marketed.
Those realities formed the backbone of a recent CLA webinar focused on what lies ahead for the industry. CLA President/CEO Brian Wallace moderated a panel comprised of Randy Radtke, senior manager of content and creative services for Alliance Laundry Systems; Dennis Diaz, president of laundry digital marketing firm Spynr; and Rob Maes, owner of four laundromats in the Houston area.
Their conversation painted a picture of a business that remains resilient but is changing faster than at any point in recent memory.
“I think we’ve seen more change in the last 12 months than maybe the 12 years before it, combined,” Wallace says. “It’s a really active time in the industry.”
Fueling that change, he notes, are consolidation, new investment, technological innovation and a wave of first-time operators entering the market. Yet at the same time, long-standing fundamentals still matter. Customer service, operational discipline and smart reinvestment continue to shape long-term success.
The message from the panel was clear: 2026 will reward those who strengthen what they already do well while adapting thoughtfully to new opportunities.
COMPETITION INTENSIFIES AS INTEREST GROWS
One of the most noticeable shifts in recent years is the increase in attention the laundromat industry is receiving from outside investors and new entrants. That growing interest is reshaping the competitive landscape, especially in larger metro markets where new stores and new owners are appearing with increasing frequency.
Maes says the heightened activity is impossible to ignore.
“The market’s gotten more competitive, and that’s all good,” he says. “We have got a lot more people deciding to get in the business for a lot of different reasons.”
Rather than viewing competition as a threat, Maes says his approach is to focus inward and sharpen the strengths that already define his operations.
“What we’re trying to do is we’re trying to double down on all those strengths and all the things that we do really well,” he explains. “And perhaps be a little more creative in how we’re doing that to stay competitive.”
That strategy reflects a broader industry mindset. Operators are recognizing that simply relying on location or equipment is no longer enough. They must actively define what makes their stores different and make sure customers understand that value.
BRANDING CAN BE POWERFUL DIFFERENTIATOR
One of the most frequently discussed ways to stand out is branding. Historically, many independent laundromats paid little attention to brand identity. Customers came because of convenience. Today, that dynamic is changing.
Maes believes branding will play an increasingly important role in shaping customer choice.
“I think branding is going to be even more critical going forward as one of the ways that you can differentiate your business,” he says.
Branding, he emphasizes, goes beyond signage or logos. It includes the experience customers associate with a store, the reliability they expect, and the impression they carry with them.
“It can also be how you choose to run your business,” Maes adds. “Whether people in the laundry business want to admit it or not, they already have a brand by virtue of how they’re currently choosing to run their business.”
For multi-store operators, a consistent brand can extend reach across neighborhoods and possibly even entire regions. A positive experience in one location can lead a customer to seek out another location carrying the same name. That familiarity becomes a competitive advantage.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE DRIVES EXPECTATIONS
Across the panel discussion, one theme surfaced repeatedly: the importance of customer experience. Today’s customers don’t compare laundromats only to other laundromats. They compare them to retail stores, coffee shops, fitness centers and other environments they frequent, says Diaz.
Radtke says that shift has raised expectations significantly.
“If they had a great experience at a laundromat in their previous town or city, that expectation is high again,” he shares. “They’re going to seek out a laundromat that delivers everything that they’re looking for.”
That expectation covers more than machine performance. It includes cleanliness, convenience, layout, payment options, and the overall feeling of comfort when someone walks in the door.
Wallace agrees that improving experience is a worthy focus this year: “I think we’d do a lot worse than looking at 2026 in part as an opportunity to further improve the laundromat customer experience.”
Speed of service and convenience remain central components. Maes notes that his stores emphasize fast turnaround as a key benefit.
“One of the primary benefits that we sell is convenience and time,” he says. “We offer a way for our customers to literally get in and out of the laundry in one hour if they want to.”
That promise resonates strongly in a world where many consumers feel increasingly pressed for time.
Coming in Part 2 on Tuesday: Technology, AI, and leveraging one’s assets
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].
