Vending Machine Technology

Okay, so at work we've gotten new pop machines in. (I say "pop" because I'm in Kansas City. If I was in the south, I'd say "coke" machines and if I was in Michigan, I'd say "soda machines".)

Anyway, these stupid things have a robotic arm that go up to the stack of drinks, capture a drink when it is ejected, and then lower it to a dispension tray. Problem is, they work about 1/3 of the time so it takes about an entire minute to get a drink.

What was wrong with gravity? Why do we need technological advances in soft drink vending? Wouldn't our country's resources be better spent on working toward a manned mission to Mars or something?

Companies are just stupid.