The new administration in Washington D.C. is moving to address an issue important to many. Angry and frustrated consumers have flocked to Apple’s App Store to download the “Ice Check” app to get real-time updates on the locations of working McDonald’s ice cream machines.
At last the new administration, headed by a lover of soft serve, has unleashed the Federal Trade Commission to investigate why the ice cream machines are so frequently out of service.
The McDonald’s ice cream machines require a great deal of maintenance, including a daily cleaning cycle that can take hours. When a cleaning cycle fails, the machine requires maintenance from the manufacturer. Until then no ice cream, because McDonald’s employees are not allowed to repair the machines. Only Taylor Commercial Foodservice LLC is authorized to make repairs, and that manufacturer has sued at least one other company that tried to offer quicker repairs, claiming that was illegal.
I am thrilled to have this story come out, not only because certain politicians can continue to have their ice cream cones but because this spotlights the “Right to Repair” movement. For years some manufacturers have been insidiously scheming to make it impossible for consumers to repair the products they own. The list includes automobiles, appliances, computers, and more.
Please login or subscribe to view the complete article.