Investigating why McDonald's ice cream machines are often broken [video] • Hacker News Board

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

#131

Post by viztor » Mon, Apr 26, 2021, 9:36 AM UTC

alpb wrote: post #84

Fezzik wrote: post #59

This seems crazy... I worked at Dairy Queen for 4 (5?) years through high school and beyond, often 6 days a week, and our soft-serve machine never once broke. This was between 97 - 2001+, so 20 years ago soft-serve machines were a solved problem. It seems insane that McDs franchisors would tolerate this sort of nonsense.

That was my reaction to the video: Aren't there franchisors with many stores in a large metro area that can actually carry a lawsuit or get together with other franchisors to start a class-action lawsuit?

Why would they? As long as their business is profitable, there is no reason to launch a lawsuit that could cost them their business just for some repair cost.

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

#132

Post by Viker » Mon, Apr 26, 2021, 9:37 AM UTC

People might not be aware but this is standard operation for any kind of integrated OEM ( other equipment manifacture)

You sell units at break even, hoping you make profit from service and support.

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

#133

Post by tidenly » Mon, Apr 26, 2021, 9:48 AM UTC

Xelbair wrote: post #97

I never encountered a broken ice cream machine in McD, nor i know anyone who did. I do live in Europe though.

Same in Japan - I think this is a problem unique to America's McDs

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

#134

Post by punnerud » Mon, Apr 26, 2021, 9:53 AM UTC

Can this interface be seen as an API, and interaction is fair use and should not void the warranty?

An extension of Google vs. Oracle, and LinkedIn vs. HiQ.

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

#135

Post by GiveOver » Mon, Apr 26, 2021, 9:59 AM UTC

Viker wrote: post #132

People might not be aware but this is standard operation for any kind of integrated OEM ( other equipment manifacture) You sell units at break even, hoping you make profit from service and support.

The video repeatedly quoted that 25% revenue stat for Taylor, but that didn't sound so high to me. I'd have preferred to see a comparison with similar companies

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

#136

Post by tedk-42 » Mon, Apr 26, 2021, 10:00 AM UTC

Must be a US thing because I don't recall ever being denied a soft serve cone in Australia.

It's probably happened before, but it's so infrequent that it's not a memorable trend/pattern.

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

#137

Post by fedreserved » Mon, Apr 26, 2021, 10:02 AM UTC

Tin foil hat. Mcd wants to like taylors pockets and keep them in a dominant position to keep them in a position where they know about all of their competitors ice cream habits.

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

#138

Post by Tepix » Mon, Apr 26, 2021, 10:04 AM UTC

tedk-42 wrote: post #136

Must be a US thing because I don't recall ever being denied a soft serve cone in Australia. It's probably happened before, but it's so infrequent that it's not a memorable trend/pattern.

I haven't been to McDonald's much in the last years but i remember the ice cream machines often being out of service here in Germany, too.

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

#139

Post by dncornholio » Mon, Apr 26, 2021, 10:05 AM UTC

wronglebowski wrote: post #36

boatsie wrote: 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…

If it's mostly operator errors, than why not make the information clear to the operators on what the error actually is? Your post only confirms how bad Taylor machines at McDonalds are. It looks they are deliberately making the machines obscure to the operators

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

#140

Post by sokoloff » Mon, Apr 26, 2021, 10:15 AM UTC

evil-olive wrote: post #79

parineum wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Is there any reason why I, if I'm a McDonald's manager, couldn't take the training myself, and be the person who does the every-two-weeks maintenance? I'd go out on a limb and say that it's McDonalds corporate that doesn't trust the franchise owner with the machine, not the manufacturer trying to swindle franchise owners.

Sure. But replace "franchise owner" with "shift manager" or whatever other job title you want. The question remains - what's the barrier to entry to becoming "certified" as an ice cream machine cleaner? Is it legitimately a difficult cleaning process that requires an extremely specialized skill-set that only the High Priests of Ice Cream Machinery are able to perform? Or, as seems likely to me, cleaning the machine i…

That’s an unusual usage of the phrase passive income if a tech has to go out and lay hands on the machine.