A malfunctioning ice cream machine is a typical frustration for McDonald’s prospects. Franchisees have expressed challenges in getting the machines repaired, and even McDonald’s has joked about how continuously they appear to interrupt. There’s even a web site devoted to monitoring which places have non-functional machines, serving to prospects keep away from disappointment when craving a McFlurry.
This subject might quickly enhance, due to a current choice by the U.S. Copyright Workplace. New exemptions now enable eating places to restore gear utilized in “retail-level business meals preparation,” together with the soft-serve machines important for making McFlurries.
The change follows efforts by shopper advocacy group Public Information and repair-focused web site iFixit, which petitioned for the exemption. As of Monday, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act’s (DMCA) Part 1201 not restricts third events from bypassing digital locks for repairs on such gear.
Beforehand, at any time when an ice cream machine broke down, McDonald’s places had been required to rely solely on the Taylor Firm—an Illinois-based producer and McDonald’s long-time associate since 1956—for repairs. Taylor’s unique “proper to restore” left no room for franchise homeowners or impartial technicians to service the machines. In keeping with iFixit, which examined one of many gadgets final yr, lots of the machine’s parts are simply replaceable, making the restore limitations all of the extra irritating.