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New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit

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Re: New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit

#71
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, 1. and 2. is about contracts between McDonalds and their franchisees, so if a franchise owner feels unfairly harmed by this restriction, then they can sue McDonalds , it's not something about which Kytch should be able to sue Taylor. And, once again, it's perfectly reasonable and very common for franchise agreements to mandate certain suppliers for some products, goods and services, and the close ties don't mak…

You're missing an important aspect of the lawsuit. Kytch is alleging loss of business due to defamation by McDonald's, be because McDs falsely claimed that the Kytch could harm the Taylor machines.

If Taylor hasn't certified the Kytch product to safely integrate with the Taylor product, it seems reasonable for Taylor to say it could cause problems. If they said it will cause problems, that seems a bit different.

Re: New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit

#72
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I'm enjoying is their randomly changing offers post-lockdowns in my country, and how they don't communicate them at all. Their "gourmet" burgers are now only available from 10:30am to 10:30pm, even in 24 hour joints. Their "all day breakfast" they spent a lot of money advertising now ends at midday. This was notably not advertised. When I rocked up at 12:15pm looking for my regular Sunday McMuffin, and was infor…

Must have watched that move close to 30 times. I wish my kids will someday watch it, they will have a Keyser Soze moment when they realize how much of our daily coversation is made up of quotes from Falling Down.

I suppose that's better than the Rocky Horror Picture Show quotes mine have been hearing... and I hope that they never find out.

The Monty Python and Pulp Fiction quotes, though... Yes I hope that they figure those out some day!

Re: New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit

#73
post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m from the 80’s. First they used to actually use beef tallow up until the 90s when they switched to vegetable oil. Major decline in taste and texture. Fries used to stay crispy longer and the flavour was much more rich. Also you used to be able to get a cheese burger for like $0.60. It used to be affordable but at some point the prices skyrocketed and they got their new menu items which mostly sucked. They used to…

I've never seen them provide value for money here in Europe compared to what was already available. What boosted them - and killed a lot of the local competition - was that tourists seemed to prefer them. We had plenty of fast food here that was quite ok before then.

  > tourists seemed to prefer them
Interestingly, in studies tourists actually do not prefer the food from McDonalds over local cuisine in almost every market studied. What they did prefer was the consistency: knowing what they are going to get.

Re: New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit

#74

In my naivety I build a startup that fixed a problem for a fortune 500 company thinking they would be delighted. They weren't. These big companies are staffed by individuals who are focused on their career and will do absolutely anything to extinguish your company/idea and pretend it was their idea and champion the company's initiative. It's disgusting but it's reality and if you are a founder be ready for it.

Positive global gradient is insufficient; positive local gradient is necessary, at all links of the value chain.

Huh. That stuck around in my brain for a bit. Never really seen it put so succinctly before!

Re: New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit

#75
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems like you're making a swipe at capitalism, but this behavior is also rampant in socialist economies (e.g. was very widespread in the USSR), so I don't think the economic system is to blame.

Those two facts aren't mutually exclusive

Which two facts?

Re: New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit

#76
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're missing an important aspect of the lawsuit. Kytch is alleging loss of business due to defamation by McDonald's, be because McDs falsely claimed that the Kytch could harm the Taylor machines.

If Taylor hasn't certified the Kytch product to safely integrate with the Taylor product, it seems reasonable for Taylor to say it could cause problems. If they said it will cause problems, that seems a bit different.

It could cause problems to your already broken machine!

Re: New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit

#77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If Taylor hasn't certified the Kytch product to safely integrate with the Taylor product, it seems reasonable for Taylor to say it could cause problems. If they said it will cause problems, that seems a bit different.

It could cause problems to your already broken machine!

Considering they are connected to each other electrically, yes!

Re: New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit

#78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They do have a lower MTBF than other Taylor machines sold to other fast food chains. McDonalds requires franchises to purchase specific models that are more prone to failure and harder to repair.

Why would they do that?

Maybe because McDonald's and/or Taylor think the average McDonald's employee is less reliable than the industry average restaurant worker. Or maybe McDonald's simply tolerates less liability than the rest and requested the machines be configured in this way. As far as I'm aware, McDonald's hasn't sued Taylor over this, maybe because it was their idea in the first place?

Re: New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit

#79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't call it competition since McDonald's specifically forbade franchisees from using Kytch's device.

Yeah, and for some reason McD thinks you need a technician to fix something hard like "container overfilled" or something. And apparently even Taylor thinks this is stupid. Sounds like an "ok boomer" moment. (or maybe something involving financial incentives, can't exclude that) "Who mitms their own machine?!" Well, did Taylor fire the engineers that built this? Or they just want to keep the same limited hw and work…

If McDonald's want's to error on the side of caution, isn't that their prerogative?

Re: New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit

#80
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“I sometimes wonder what a better McDonalds would look like.” I think a better McDonalds looks a lot like In and Out. If the Founder is accurate, McDonalds was a lot like In and Out at one time and operated like it. Chick-fil-a operates similarly. One thing that is always fascinating to me when I go to either of those two fast food restaurants is the army of workers they have on staff at any time. Usually each doing…

Except the fries. In and Out fries are not very good (ironic since they make a point of making them fresh, which would make one think they should be better). Otherwise, better quality, prices, and service (and staff pay and treatment).

Yours does seem to be the more commonly expressed sentiment, but I love In-n-Out's fries, in particular, compared to McD's. McD's are too often "would you like some fries with that salt?", and IMO the In-n-Out ones just taste better. More "meat" to them. Don't seem to turn into cardboard like McD fries.

But it's taste, I suppose.

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