McDonald's Soft Serve Machines Were Just at the Center of a Major Legal Battle
If you have experienced frustration over McDonald's ice cream machines, you aren't alone. The faulty machines have sparked endless memes, become a topic in a United States Presidential campaign, and even inspired an entire website dedicated to helping customers find stores with soft serve machines that work. There is even legal drama surrounding the problematic gadgets behind the sweet treats. Here is everything you need to know about the latest legal drama of McDonald's soft serve machines.
There Are Digital Locks on the Machines Courtesy of the Manufactuer
Fixing an ice cream machine shouldn't be complicated, right? However, per iFixit, an online repair guide, it isn't quite that simple when a McDonald's machine breaks down. Because of copyright issues, digital locks are often installed on the machines by Taylor Company, the manufacturer.
This Makes It Illegal to Bypass the Locks Unless You Are an Authorized Technician
There happens to be a provision in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act making it illegal for a third party, for example, a McDonald's employee, to bypass a digital lock. Therefore, repairs can only be done by a manufacturer-authorized technician.
In November, the U.S. Copyright Office Offered an Exemption
According to the New York Times, in November, the U.S. Copyright Office offered an exemption from existing copyright law, giving McDonald's the right to fix "retail-level commercial food preparation equipment" without going through the manufacturer and having to use one of their authorized technicians. Now, according to iFixit, machines can be repaired "without needing to rely on costly service calls or manufacturer intervention."
There Are Hopes That the Exemption Will Expand
The copyright register declined "to recommend an exemption for a broader class of software-enabled commercial and industrial devices," something that iFixit and Public Knowledge both requested. "They ended up granting us the commercial food prep because the evidence was pretty uncontrovertible," Meredith Rose, senior policy counsel at Public Knowledge, said in a statement, She added that although Public Knowledge was "disappointed that the register recommended a narrower exemption than we had proposed, this does not soften our enthusiasm."
President Trump Promised Working McDonald's Ice Cream Machines While Campaigning
After visiting a Pennsylvania McDonald's while on the campaign trail, President Donald J. Trump vowed to get the ice cream machines working again. "WHEN I'M PRESIDENT THE MCDONALD'S ICE CREAM MACHINES WILL WORK GREAT AGAIN!" he declared with a photo on X in October.
Find Out if Your Local McDonald's Ice Cream Machine Is Working
If you are craving a McDonald's ice cream cone but don't want to waste your time going to a store with a broken machine, there is an entire website devoted to preventing this from happening. Mcbroken lets you know locations where machines aren't working. According to their latest tallies, nearly 15 percent of machines are out of service, with the most — 32% — of faulty machines in New York State.
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