https://www.npr.org/2021/09/02/1033715465/mcdonalds-ice-cream-machines-mcflurries-ftc-investigation

McDonald's has acknowledged the issue. But customers are not lovin'
it.

The problem has gotten so widespread there's even an online tool that
lets you track malfunctioning machines across the United States.

Now, the feds are reportedly on the case.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, the Federal Trade
Commission contacted McDonald's franchise owners over the summer
looking for information about the broken ice-cream machines.

McDonald's franchisees have long griped about the machines, the
newspaper reported, which require a nightly cleaning cycle that can
fail and require a technician to fix.

The Biden administration is looking more closely at manufacturers
The move comes as the Biden administration looks broadly at whether
manufacturers have been blocking owners from fixing broken products
themselves, the newspaper said. Advocates of the "right to repair"
movement say companies should not make it nearly impossible for users
and independent technicians to repair modern products, particularly
consumer electronics.

On Fri, 03 Sep 2021 06:37:09 -0700, KlausSchadenfreude
<klaus.schadenfreudeREMOVE@gmail.com> wrote:

>https://www.npr.org/2021/09/02/1033715465/mcdonalds-ice-cream-machines-mcflurries-ftc-investigation
>
>McDonald's has acknowledged the issue. But customers are not lovin'
>it.
>
>The problem has gotten so widespread there's even an online tool that
>lets you track malfunctioning machines across the United States.
>
>Now, the feds are reportedly on the case.
>
>According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, the Federal Trade
>Commission contacted McDonald's franchise owners over the summer
>looking for information about the broken ice-cream machines.
>
>McDonald's franchisees have long griped about the machines, the
>newspaper reported, which require a nightly cleaning cycle that can
>fail and require a technician to fix.
>
>The Biden administration is looking more closely at manufacturers
>The move comes as the Biden administration looks broadly at whether
>manufacturers have been blocking owners from fixing broken products
>themselves, the newspaper said. Advocates of the "right to repair"
>movement say companies should not make it nearly impossible for users
>and independent technicians to repair modern products, particularly
>consumer electronics.

From what I've heard, only technicians from The Taylor Company,
the company that makes the ice cream machines, are allowed to repair
them. And since there are only a specific number of techs, they can
only do so much.

KWills
alt.food.fast-food Leadership Committee President

On Sat, 04 Sep 2021 05:33:37 -0700, KWills <compuelf@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Fri, 03 Sep 2021 06:37:09 -0700, KlausSchadenfreude
><klaus.schadenfreudeREMOVE@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>https://www.npr.org/2021/09/02/1033715465/mcdonalds-ice-cream-machines-mcflurries-ftc-investigation
>>
>>McDonald's has acknowledged the issue. But customers are not lovin'
>>it.
>>
>>The problem has gotten so widespread there's even an online tool that
>>lets you track malfunctioning machines across the United States.
>>
>>Now, the feds are reportedly on the case.
>>
>>According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, the Federal Trade
>>Commission contacted McDonald's franchise owners over the summer
>>looking for information about the broken ice-cream machines.
>>
>>McDonald's franchisees have long griped about the machines, the
>>newspaper reported, which require a nightly cleaning cycle that can
>>fail and require a technician to fix.
>>
>>The Biden administration is looking more closely at manufacturers
>>The move comes as the Biden administration looks broadly at whether
>>manufacturers have been blocking owners from fixing broken products
>>themselves, the newspaper said. Advocates of the "right to repair"
>>movement say companies should not make it nearly impossible for users
>>and independent technicians to repair modern products, particularly
>>consumer electronics.
>
> From what I've heard, only technicians from The Taylor Company,
>the company that makes the ice cream machines, are allowed to repair
>them. And since there are only a specific number of techs, they can
>only do so much.

Apparently they, McDonalds, or both-- are preventing another company
from trying to make the maintenance of these things easier.

On Sat, 04 Sep 2021 07:23:47 -0700, KlausSchadenfreude
<klaus.schadenfreudeREMOVE@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Sat, 04 Sep 2021 05:33:37 -0700, KWills <compuelf@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 03 Sep 2021 06:37:09 -0700, KlausSchadenfreude
>><klaus.schadenfreudeREMOVE@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>https://www.npr.org/2021/09/02/1033715465/mcdonalds-ice-cream-machines-mcflurries-ftc-investigation
>>>
>>>McDonald's has acknowledged the issue. But customers are not lovin'
>>>it.
>>>
>>>The problem has gotten so widespread there's even an online tool that
>>>lets you track malfunctioning machines across the United States.
>>>
>>>Now, the feds are reportedly on the case.
>>>
>>>According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, the Federal Trade
>>>Commission contacted McDonald's franchise owners over the summer
>>>looking for information about the broken ice-cream machines.
>>>
>>>McDonald's franchisees have long griped about the machines, the
>>>newspaper reported, which require a nightly cleaning cycle that can
>>>fail and require a technician to fix.
>>>
>>>The Biden administration is looking more closely at manufacturers
>>>The move comes as the Biden administration looks broadly at whether
>>>manufacturers have been blocking owners from fixing broken products
>>>themselves, the newspaper said. Advocates of the "right to repair"
>>>movement say companies should not make it nearly impossible for users
>>>and independent technicians to repair modern products, particularly
>>>consumer electronics.
>>
>> From what I've heard, only technicians from The Taylor Company,
>>the company that makes the ice cream machines, are allowed to repair
>>them. And since there are only a specific number of techs, they can
>>only do so much.
>
>Apparently they, McDonalds, or both-- are preventing another company
>from trying to make the maintenance of these things easier.

I don't know from personal experience, but I've heard the
contract states ONLY authorized technicians from The Taylor Company
are allowed to work on the machines. Even if an employee knows how to
correct whatever problem exists, said employee is not allowed to do
the work.
I'm not sure how anyone at Taylor would know. Maybe if they have
some sort of diagnostic app instilled on the machine that sends
information to Taylor. While possible, it seems unlikely.

KWills
alt.food.fast-food Leadership Committee President