What it costs to rent a cotton candy or popcorn machine

Our large carnivals page puts the case for a concession machine in one line: each unit "feeds a steady line throughout your event window." This page covers what that costs: the machine, the supplies and the power.

How much does it cost to rent a cotton candy machine?

• Up to a full day: $115.
• 2 days: $215. 3 days: $315.
• 4 days: $415. 5 days: $515.
• A week: $715.

The Cotton Candy Machine, the Popcorn Popper and the Snow Cone Machine all use that same ladder. A two hour birthday party and a festival that runs from morning to night pay the same $115, and each extra day adds $100, up to five days.

Delivery is charged on top, based on the miles to your event location, and setup and takedown are included in the rental price. The deposit is 50% of the order, on a credit card.

Are the supplies included?

No, for all three machines. Here is what each one needs.

Cotton candy. The product page says it in two sentences: "Cotton Candy Machines are very easy to use. We sell bags, cones and sugar separately." The sugar comes in pink or blue raspberry, in 52 oz bags, each enough for 50 cones or bags. Cones and bags are sold in bundles of 100.

Popcorn. The popper is an 8 oz machine, and we sell kits and bags for it. Each kit has the coconut oil, butter, flavored salt and kernels for about eight 1 oz servings.

Snow cones. The rental includes the machine and a scoop. "You will need to provide your own ice and cups." Syrup is extra, in quart bottles of grape, blue raspberry or cherry, and each quart makes about 25 servings.

The supplies are listed on each product page with an Add to Quote button but no printed price, so your quote is where you see what they cost.

How much should you order for 100 guests?

One serving per guest, worked out from the yields on our product pages:

• Cotton candy: 2 bags of sugar and 1 bundle of 100 cones or bags.
• Popcorn: 13 kits, which make about 104 servings, and a bag for each.
• Snow cones: 4 quarts of syrup, plus your own ice and 100 cups.

For 50 guests, it is 1 bag of sugar, 7 kits of popcorn or 2 quarts of syrup. If guests can come back for seconds, round up.

Which machine fits your event?

Our large carnivals page describes each one in a line. Cotton Candy Machine: "A festival classic that keeps lines moving and kids happy." Popcorn Popper: "Hot, fresh popcorn that pairs with every kind of carnival programming." Snow Cone Machine: "Summer-friendly cool down for outdoor festivals and fairs."

In October, that points to popcorn and cotton candy for a fall festival, a trunk or treat or a school carnival, and to snow cones once the weather warms up again. Both of the October machines are described on their pages as very easy to run.

Customers mention them too. Google groups our reviews by topic, and as of October 15, 2026, "cotton candy machine rental" is one of the topics it lists, with 4 mentions among our 882 reviews.

What power does a concession machine need?

Each machine's product page lists one 110V outlet. Our FAQ, written for inflatables, asks that "nothing else be plugged into the outlet being used," so if your event has a bounce house as well, give each machine an outlet of its own.

At a park or anywhere else without an outlet, the FAQ says we can provide a generator for an additional charge. Our generator is $250, a 5500 watt unit rated for up to 3 inflatables, with a full tank that lasts up to 6 hours. Tell us everything you plan to plug in, so the quote covers the power you need. And if the spot has no table to set a machine on, our 6 ft folding tables are $17 each.

What is the Carnival Treat Shop?

The Carnival Treat Shop is "an inflatable replica of a classic food concession booth": 30 by 15 ft, with four windows to serve from and a rear door. Removable Velcro panels let you customize the menu board "for specific company information." It is $295 for up to 6 hours and $50 an hour after that, needs a 35 by 20 ft space and lists one 110V outlet.

The machines are rented separately ("We also can supply the cotton candy, snow cones, or popcorn machines"), so a booth with one machine is $410 and a booth with all three is $640.

Can a concession machine pay for itself at a fundraiser?

The machine can. At $1 a serving, the $115 rental is covered after 115 servings. At $2, it takes 58. Those numbers are before supplies and delivery, so add the supply cost from your quote to find your real break-even.

Someone has to run the machine. If you would rather not use a volunteer, our event attendants are $75 an hour, and the large carnivals page describes them as there "to manage queues and operate equipment."

We deliver from Westfield across the Indianapolis area. With your quote request, send your date, your guest count and the machines you want, and add the supplies on each product page so they are priced with the rest.

Common questions