McDonald’s ice cream machines may no longer be broken if U.S. Government has its way
The FTC and DOJ are hoping to put an end to McDonald’s longstanding reputation of broken soft-serve ice cream machines.
Restaurant chainMcDonald’sis famously known for having itssoft-serve ice cream machines break down, to the point thatemployees have even used this reputationas a means to avoid extra work.
However, that may no longer be the case if the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) antitrust division have their way.
In aletter to the U.S. Copyright Office, the FTC and DOJ called for the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to allow for exemptions when it comes to “commercial soft-serve machines.”
Currently, the Act only allows technicians licensed by the maker of McDonald’s ice cream machines to perform digital repairs, making it more difficult for franchise owners to fix breakdowns.
Under Section 1201 of the Act, repairing your own device can be considered a copyright violation — something the FTC and DOJ want to change.
“In the Agencies’ view, renewing and expanding repair-related exemptions would promote competition in markets for replacement parts, repair, and maintenance services, as well as facilitate competition in markets for repairable products,” the letter reads.
The letter goes on to state that breakdowns can lead to sales losses of up to $625 per day as “there are long wait times for authorizer repairs.” On top of this, “a licensed repair technician charges over $300 per 15 minutes.”
“In each case, an exemption would give users more choices for third-party and self-repair and would likely lead to cost savings and a better return on investment in commercial and industrial equipment,” the letter stated.
McDonald’s cracks down on scalpers for ruining Pokemon card Happy Meal & wasting food
McDonald’s apologizes after Pokemon card promotion ends early
AI company Midjourney breaks silence on landmark Disney & Universal lawsuit
If the exemption is granted, McDonald’s customers may no longer need to worry about whether their ice cream needs will be met.
