A surface mountable multiformat card reader for vending equipment is disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a surface mountable card reader that comprises a mounting bracket for attaching to a vending machine. The surface mountable card reader also includes a card reader housing that extends outward from the mounting bracket. The housing, which includes a channel spaced outwardly from the mounting bracket for receiving a magnetic stripe card, comprises a radio frequency (RF) proximity reader that is adapted for receiving data via an RF signal from a contactless card. The housing also comprises a magnetic stripe reader that is adapted for receiving data from magnetic stripe cards that pass through the channel.