Chris Read wrote:
Going back 20 years (remembering
childhood trips with grandparents who liked to spoil me), the machines were
programmed to 'eat the money but not dispense the product' for one in three
attempts

Ah that explains it!

The last two times I tried to get a chocolate (having not used a
machine in years), I lost my money. I only complained once but they
gave me a £1 voucher for a 50p loss (as compensation).

The third time I tried to get a chocolate, the machine didn't accept my
coin. When it rejected it, I found a pound in the change tray! So, I
collected my prize, my original 50p and walked away.

Maybe they're now programmed to be like fruit machines.. some people
lose money, others win it! Now if they could only make them pay out
fruit...

Jonathan