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Investigating why McDonald's ice cream machines are often broken [video]

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Re: Investigating why McDonald's ice cream machines are often broken [video]

#101
This Wired article is highly relevant, and discusses some of the reasons these machines are often broken, and McDonald's fight to stop a startup from helping diagnose/mitigate these problems.

https://www.wired.com/story/they-hacked-mcdonalds-ice-cream-...

Re: Investigating why McDonald's ice cream machines are often broken [video]

#102
post #3

Tldw: the machine throws obscure error codes (too viscous, failure to heat to proper temps, etc) and can “lock out” the operator, who has to then call an authorized service technician that bills hundreds of dollars for repair. Any attempt to self repair or hire someone else will void the warranty and is disallowed by McDonald’s corporate. The ice cream maker company, Taylor, reports 25% of their revenue is service an…

[deleted]

Re: Investigating why McDonald's ice cream machines are often broken [video]

#103
post #3

Tldw: the machine throws obscure error codes (too viscous, failure to heat to proper temps, etc) and can “lock out” the operator, who has to then call an authorized service technician that bills hundreds of dollars for repair. Any attempt to self repair or hire someone else will void the warranty and is disallowed by McDonald’s corporate. The ice cream maker company, Taylor, reports 25% of their revenue is service an…

It seems that even a megacorp like McDonald needs the right to repair... On second thought, not exactly the megacorp, but the franchise owners.

Pretty sure McDonald's is fully aware of this and deserves a large portion of the blame.

Re: Investigating why McDonald's ice cream machines are often broken [video]

#105

Question - I keep hearing about this frequently as a meme on the internet, but I have never ever been to a McDonalds that didn't have a working ice cream machine(here in UK). Is this unique to US for some reason?

Same in Russia.

Anyway, US McDonalds is worse than the ones in literally every other country I've ever been to.

Re: Investigating why McDonald's ice cream machines are often broken [video]

#106

Question - I keep hearing about this frequently as a meme on the internet, but I have never ever been to a McDonalds that didn't have a working ice cream machine(here in UK). Is this unique to US for some reason?

It happened all the time at the McDonalds next to Charing Cross. Never really happens here at the Isle of Man McDonalds.

The main difference between those two is that the former is open 24 hours a day, while the latter is closed 12a - 5pm, a window which just happens to be perfect for running the Taylor’s daily cleansing cycle. (It can’t be solely a function of increased customer throughput, which is the other variable I considered, as the Manx McDonalds has way more people visit it during the TT than the Charing Cross restaurant ever has. Yet the machine was up the entire TT for at least the last three years the race was held.)

Re: Investigating why McDonald's ice cream machines are often broken [video]

#107
post #3

Tldw: the machine throws obscure error codes (too viscous, failure to heat to proper temps, etc) and can “lock out” the operator, who has to then call an authorized service technician that bills hundreds of dollars for repair. Any attempt to self repair or hire someone else will void the warranty and is disallowed by McDonald’s corporate. The ice cream maker company, Taylor, reports 25% of their revenue is service an…

As someone who worked in stores for years, this isn’t entirely accurate. The machine isn’t just being an asshole to drive up service calls. The machines are filled with a dairy product which makes the “ice cream”. This is boiled nightly to keep the mixture free of bacteria. If the nightly heat cycle fails to complete for one of a dozen reasons the machine locks out. Those unaware of the process usually end up calling…

> worked in stores for years

Specifically McDonalds? The video states these problem aren't experienced at the same magnitude at other franchises, and alleges that McDonalds franchisees are locked into purchasing a downgraded model with indecipherable error messages.

Re: Investigating why McDonald's ice cream machines are often broken [video]

#108

Question - I keep hearing about this frequently as a meme on the internet, but I have never ever been to a McDonalds that didn't have a working ice cream machine(here in UK). Is this unique to US for some reason?

Just watch the video :)

Re: Investigating why McDonald's ice cream machines are often broken [video]

#109
post #3

Tldw: the machine throws obscure error codes (too viscous, failure to heat to proper temps, etc) and can “lock out” the operator, who has to then call an authorized service technician that bills hundreds of dollars for repair. Any attempt to self repair or hire someone else will void the warranty and is disallowed by McDonald’s corporate. The ice cream maker company, Taylor, reports 25% of their revenue is service an…

[deleted]

Re: Investigating why McDonald's ice cream machines are often broken [video]

#110

Question - I keep hearing about this frequently as a meme on the internet, but I have never ever been to a McDonalds that didn't have a working ice cream machine(here in UK). Is this unique to US for some reason?

Same in Russia. Anyway, US McDonalds is worse than the ones in literally every other country I've ever been to.

They’ve improved significantly in the last 10 years or so. Still attract a certain sort of trashy clientele though. The Walmart of fast food.
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