CHICAGO — The self-service laundry industry has long been synonymous with quarters. For decades, the familiar rhythm of coins dropping into washers and dryers defined the laundromat experience for both operators and customers.
Today, that model is evolving.
Across the United States, laundromat owners are navigating a period of transition as payment systems offering non-coin or cash options — including mobile apps, credit and debit cards, and loyalty cards — steadily gain ground. Yet coins and cash haven’t disappeared, and for many operators remain an important part of the revenue mix.
The central question facing the industry is no longer whether cashless payments will play a role in laundromats, but how large that role will become — and how operators should balance the needs of diverse customer bases.
To explore the issue, several payment technology providers and industry suppliers shared their perspectives on several key questions shaping the future of payment acceptance in self-service laundries.
Part 1 of this article addressed how the revenue mix has changed for laundries and examined the type of payment configurations being installed. Part 2 explored the reasons operators are adding cashless options, and identified concerns they may have about transitioning away from coins/cash.
Let’s continue:
Q: Are you seeing differences in payment adoption based on geography, store size, or neighborhood demographics?
While it’s easy to assume payment adoption varies sharply by location, supplier feedback suggests the picture is more layered — and often driven by factors beyond geography alone.
“Not really,” says Butch Bruner, president of Imonex Services, noting that “cashless tokens and cash/coins are embraced in both large urban laundromats as well as small rural stores.”
Others point to a different dividing line.
“The biggest differentiator is not geography. It is the mindset of the operator,” says Paresh Patel, founder and CEO of PayRange. Owners who treat laundry as “a modern retail business” tend to invest in technology, customer experience and operational efficiency, he adds, while those who view it as “a legacy cash business” often lag in adoption.
“Urban and suburban operators with newer, larger-format stores are moving fastest,” says Erik Nemes, distributor sales manager for Cents and Laundroworks, citing both competitive pressure and customer expectations shaped by everyday tap-to-pay experiences.
Steve Marcionetti, president of Card Concepts Inc. (CCI), echoes that dynamic: “Urban markets tend to adopt cashless payment options more aggressively. In dense, competitive areas, operators are under more pressure to meet retail expectations.”
“Rural operators and those in markets with older or more cash-dependent demographics are moving more carefully,” says Nemes, “and that caution is often the right call.”
Even in those environments, however, hybrid systems are gaining traction.
“Hybrid setups that add cashless without removing coin are almost always a positive step with very little downside,” Nemes says. “Store size plays a role, too. Larger stores with more machines and higher transaction volume see faster payback on the investment.”
Still, adoption isn’t limited to high-volume operations.
“We’re also seeing many smaller independent operators make the switch,” says Marcionetti, emphasizing that, in many cases, “it comes down to the owner’s mindset and willingness to modernize.”
“About income levels, households earning under $25,000 per year remain significantly more cash-reliant than higher-income cohorts,” says Carlos Sessarago, vice president of sales for Airwallet, adding that over half of urban laundromats today now offer mobile payment.
At the same time, broad usage trends continue to blur traditional distinctions between markets.
“We see high credit/debit adoption in all types of markets,” says John Kelly, vice president of sales for Setomatic Systems, citing examples ranging from small towns to major cities where card usage consistently reaches 55-65%.
Taken together, the insights suggest that while geography, store size and demographics all influence payment adoption, none of them operate in isolation. Instead, competitive environment and operator strategy tend to carry the most weight.
Q: By 2031, what role will coin play in our industry?
Looking ahead to the end of the decade, industry suppliers agree that coins will likely remain part of the laundromat ecosystem — though their role may change.
Bruner believes coin will remain dominant: “As always, 2031 will see a race for second place behind coin.”
Others see a different trajectory.
“Coin will largely be phased out, serving primarily as a backup or niche option,” Patel foresees. “As digital adoption continues and generational shifts accelerate, coin will steadily lose relevance.”
Nemes sees coin becoming a smaller but still important part of the industry. “Minority but essential is our honest answer,” he says, adding that cash isn’t going away entirely, nor should it.
“There will always be customers who are unbanked, cash-dependent, or simply more comfortable with what they know.”
“Coin will likely remain a necessary ‘inclusive’ option,” says Robert Mattocks, regional sales manager for Airwallet, “though it will no longer be the primary revenue source for most operators.”
“From conversations with clients, coin will likely become a niche or backup payment option,” says John DiStefano, vice president of sales for Paystri.
Marcionetti says he believes the retail landscape will shape laundromats as well.
“The broader trend is clear: retail behavior across every industry is moving toward electronic payment,” he says.
He expects coin to remain present but less central: “Coin won’t vanish overnight — but by 2031, it will no longer define the industry.”
Kelly predicts a middle-ground outcome.
“I believe coin will still have a place in our industry, but it will decrease,” he says, settling between “minority but essential” and “niche backup.”
Doug Goldstein, executive vice president of ESD and CEO of Greenwald Industries, expects regional variation: “We anticipate coin will still be essential but not dominant or minority. It will be offered by many together with a hybrid approach and alternative technology. (The) West Coast will trend ahead of the remainder of the nation.”
A Balancing Act for Operators
Taken together, the perspectives from payment suppliers suggest that the laundromat industry isn’t abandoning coin — but steadily expanding beyond it.
Hybrid environments remain common today, allowing operators to serve customers who prefer coins while also accommodating those who expect digital convenience. Over time, however, the balance may continue shifting.
For laundromat owners, the challenge is determining how quickly to move — and how to do so without alienating long-time customers.
For now, the industry appears to be embracing a pragmatic middle path: maintaining coin where necessary while gradually expanding cashless options.
In that sense, the future of laundromat payments may not be coin versus cashless — but coin and cashless, working side by side as operators adapt to a changing retail landscape.
In Thursday’s conclusion: Laundromat owners from around the country share their payment acceptance positions
Miss any earlier part? Read them here: Part 1 — Part 2
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].
