The mysterious fact that McDonald's ice cream machines keep going out of order, in the U.S. and the rest of the world, has now caught the attention of market regulators. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is reportedly now conducting a preliminary probe into the matter.
The investigation into McDonald's operations comes after U.S. President Joe Biden ordered the FTC to implement new measures to empower consumers and to reevaluate unlawful repair restrictions. The manufacturer of McDonald's ice cream machines, Taylor, currently does not allow the fast-food restaurant to repair its machines.
Part of the reason why these machines take so long to get repaired is because Taylor has barred McDonald's from conducting any type of repairs. This means that restaurants have to wait for a certified technician from Taylor to fix the machine every time it breaks down.
The issue of out-of-order McDonald's ice cream machines has continued for decades with the experience being highlighted by online memes and jokes.
The ice cream machines, which are used to create McDonald's dessert favorites such as its McFlurry, are notoriously difficult to fix. Owners said the machines often need to undergo an automated heat-cleaning cycle each night to ward off bacteria. This process has been blamed for some machines prematurely failing, making them unusable for days until a repair technician from Taylor comes to fix them.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the FTC has already sent a letter to franchisees, asking them about their experience with the machines and to provide any answers to the constant breakdowns.
The FTC has yet to launch a full investigation and it is reportedly still gathering information on the matter.
In 2019, some McDonald's franchise owners had used the services of a company called Kytch, which provided a diagnostic tool that helped owners fix their own machines. Last year, McDonald's barred franchise owners from using the company's services, citing that the devices were "unsanctioned." Kytch filed a lawsuit against McDonald's and Taylor in May, citing that the ban infringed on the franchise owners' rights to fix their own machines.
