Stanley's Claw Machines — Local services in New York

TL;DR jump to “CUSTOMER recommendation”

When I first visited the store, I was surprised to see that there was no staff. It was an unusual setting, but there was a security camera & self service token machine. However, when I visited the store on a weekend, there was an employee.

It was a small space. Most of the walkway was about the width of two adult shoulders, but the front area could get crowded, especially when you have to bend down to play the bottom small claw machines.

There was no food service nor vending machines, so it’s pretty clean. I don’t think there was even a small trash bin. At night, if you walked by the store, it was extremely bright & eye catching b/c of the claw machine lights & white walls.

The game play currency were tokens. $1 per coin. No bundle deals as of yet.

The other prize option were capsule toy machines. You would put a certain amount of tokens in the machine (similar to old school candy machines or gashapon) & out comes a prize. There were various toy options.

In regards to the claw machines, you need to be patient to play a machine. It was a game to try to get a prize. Sometimes strategy is required, which includes aiming skills. Sometimes, I failed to do that or end up aiming at a part that was not helpful. If the claw was at the highest level of grip strength, it does not help if you don’t aim the claw right over the prize. Then if the prize wasn’t in the best position for the claw to wrap around, then that made grabbing difficult too, especially on the first try.

STORE recommendation Recently, I saw your unlimited plays for your 5 token machine. This was an INSANELY good choice for players, especially inexperienced ones. I have not seen this offered elsewhere in New York. Please keep this option for as long as you could. I believe one such machine was enough.

Maybe you could have game play credit discount as part of a holiday or seasonal sale/event? You would have to do some analysis to see how much money & foot traffic you would get during a discounted event in comparison to current pricing.

Randomly, I would win a prize where the plushie stuffing feels lumpy. My concern was that you were sold a defective plushie. If possible, do a quality check of the plush before purchase. If it happened after the purchase, try to ask for a replacement product from the seller.

If you could get holiday themed plushies (Christmas & Halloween items tend to be pretty popular overall), it might bring in more traffic to the shop. Certain holidays tend to bring in tourism. Potentially, this might assist in gaining new customers as long as there was awareness on the holiday theme prizes.

By the time someone reads this review, the store may have changed a bit.

CUSTOMER recommendation Please don’t think you’ll get the prize on the first try in the claw machines. Sometimes, I’ve won a plush on the first try. Other times, I’ve given up after three failed tries. If your budget is tight, & there’s a prize that you really want, but the risk of losing $10+ is too much for you, this isn’t the right time to go play. The claw machine is borderline gambling.

If they still have it, ask about their claw machine that has unlimited plays until you win a prize. If you’re a 1st time visitor or a beginner claw player, this might be a practical option for you. Whether the prize is in an awkward or difficult position in the machine, if you’re willing to stand there & try to win that plushie without hurting your wallet, this is something for you to play. Also, along with getting a prize, it’s a good opportunity to practice your skills.

In the end, I think the store is worth a VISIT to browse to see what prizes or capsule toys they offer. I have been there enough times that the offerings change. It can range from stuffed animals to stuffed food in claw machines & mini retro digital cameras to Pokemon cards in their capsule toy machines. If you’ve never been there, & you think you might need assistance, go on the weekend to speak to an employee.

11/17/2024 post review update: photos added...

This place is super cute! I stopped by after grabbing some food in Chinatown because who can’t resist a claw machine shop?

The inside is super clean and the machines are all new. When I went in, they were offering a free green tea if you played. And I saw a kid get a free play just for being a kid! Really nice but I wish I was a kid hah!

The staff is really nice. I met a Vanessa and she was super friendly and was excited to see me win! I don’t know if any other places do this, but it’d be super cool if they added cameras to the machines and gave you the recordings if you won something lol. The regular phone recordings aren’t always the best quality and somehow you never record on the time you actually win!

The pricing is pretty fair and transparent, it’s just $1 per credit. The bigger items are 3 credits and the smaller ones are 2 credits. There’s a machine that can take cash or card for the tokens used in the machines. I was a little surprised to see that there wasn’t any deals for buying more tokens, like a buy $20 get 5 tokens free type deal. I’ve seen those at Round Ones and a buncha random arcades and those marketing tactics always get me! So it was kinda refreshing to not have those, but also like but I want more valueeeeee. Double edged sword for sure.

In terms of the winnings! I must have been really lucky or something because I literally won every time I tried O_O. I picked up some really cute plushies for last minute Christmas presents and didn’t spend too much so I’m happy! There was a small tear on one of the plushies but Vanessa replaced it for me immediately when she saw it. Didn’t even have to ask! They also have some gachapon machines too, if you’re more into guaranteed things. I got a cute mini camera!

I’d definitely come back here! They’re still pretty new and figuring out a buncha things so I’m excited to see how this place grows in...

I rented SCM out for my daughter's 17th birthday party and it was perfect. The owners are wonderful to work with. The flow of the birthday party from tournament play to free play to snacks in the party room was seamless and constant fun for the guests. The machines were filled with prizes of high quality/adorable stuffies and the kids were able to win on these machines! (Unlike some venues where it is impossible to grip a prize). The party room next door has fridge and freezer, making it easy store any snacks or cakes or ice cream. We were allowed time before the start time to set up the party room with decorations etc. BONUS: We finished setting up in record time and were able to spend an hour walking around Chinatown and visiting some of our favorite bakeries before the party started. Stanley's is a unique, warm and memorable place to throw a party for anyone at any age, and my kids can't wait to go visit again to win some...