Where an ATM stands has a lot to do with whether customers use it. Here’s what we look for during a location review — and what you can check yourself before we arrive.
The five rules of good placement
1. Visible from the entrance. A customer should be able to see the ATM soon after walking in. If they have to ask, many won’t. The best spot is usually just inside the door, in the natural line of sight.
2. Visible from the register. Staff should be able to see the machine from where they work. It reassures customers, discourages tampering and lets your team point to it: “There’s an ATM right there.”
3. Out of the traffic lane. Near the entrance, but not in it. A machine that blocks the door, the checkout line or a cart lane gets bumped, resented and moved. Look for a wall position with a little breathing room.
4. Well lit and on camera. Customers enter a PIN more comfortably in good light, and camera coverage protects everyone — but position cameras so they can see the machine and the person, never the keypad itself. If your existing cameras don’t cover the spot, tell us — we can often adjust the position by a few feet.
5. Power within reach. A standard outlet nearby. That’s the only utility the machine needs from you; we provide the connectivity.
Leave room to approach
Leave clear floor space in front of the machine so a customer in a wheelchair can pull up to it, and avoid placing it on a step or behind a display. Modern machines are designed with accessible reach ranges in mind; the placement just needs to give people room to use them.
Placement by type of business
Bars and nightclubs. Near the entrance or coat check, so guests can get cash before they reach the bar. Away from speaker stacks and the dance floor — customers need to hear prompts and feel safe entering a PIN.
Restaurants. By the host stand or entrance, where guests can withdraw while waiting for a table or on the way out to tip. Out of the path to the dining room and away from the kitchen pass.
Liquor and convenience stores. Inside, near the entrance and visible from the street, with a sign in the window. Close enough to the counter for staff to keep an eye on it, out of the checkout lane.
Gas stations. Inside the mart, visible from the pumps and the door, under bright lighting for 24-hour operation. Signage near the price sign helps drivers who want your cash price.
Grocery stores. By the entrance, before the carts, so customers get cash before they shop. Away from checkout lanes and the deli counter.
Laundromats. Near the change machine and card kiosk — the spot customers already go for cash — in full view of cameras and, ideally, visible from the street for after-hours reassurance.
Barber shops, salons and tattoo studios. In the waiting area, near reception, so clients can withdraw before or after the appointment. Out of the way of chairs and stations.
Hotels. In the lobby, visible from the front desk and the entrance, clear of the check-in queue and luggage-cart lanes.
Bowling alleys, arcades and entertainment centers. Beside the game-card kiosk or at the entrance, away from lanes and play areas.
Events and festivals. At entrances and near the main food and beverage areas, on stable ground with access to power, within sight of staff or security and lit for evening hours. Put it on the site map.
Signage matters more than you think
A simple “ATM inside” decal on the door or window is one of the highest-return things you can do. People searching for cash decide where to go from the sidewalk. Tell them.
What we do during a location review
When you request a free ATM, a BayTM specialist looks at all of the above — traffic flow, sightlines, lighting, cameras, power and cellular coverage — and recommends the machine and the exact spot. It’s free, it takes a few minutes and you’ll know before we install anything whether the position is right.
For the bigger picture on how placement works, see our plain-English guide to ATM placement.