CLA Releases 2021 Industry Survey (USA)

The US-based Coin Laundry Association recently released its annual Laundry Industry Survey. Each year, the reseach company Readex Inc. is commissioned to conduct an industrywide survey of laundromat owners. The data are stated to create an accurate profile of vended laundries within the United States.

The annual survey reveals up-to-date stats on data such as gross profitability, gross revenue, square footage of laundromats and revenue per square foot, as well as examining the expense ratios for rent, utilities and labor. In addition, the survey looks at the prevalence of the various payment options within the industry – from coins and loyalty cards to credit/debit cards and mobile payment. Here are few of the highlights:

  • As a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the average gross revenue for US laundromat owners responding to this year’s survey dropped 7 percent from 2019 to 2020.
  • Although quarters remain the payment method of choice for laundromat – 86 percent of respondents accept them as a method for machine operation – the number of “quarters-only” stores now represents just over half (54 percent) of the respondents.
  • On average, utility costs – a leading expense and hotly discussed topic among US laundromat owners – represented 3 percent of the survey respondents’ total gross revenue in 2020.
  • Across US, the average vend price for a 30- to 35-pound front load washer is $4.19, while the median cost per turn of a 30-pound dryer sits at 25 cents for six minutes.