20 Hacker News comments link this video. Each one links back to its thread.
mcdowOct 2024Recommends
Here's a great YT video on why McDonald's ice cream machines are always broken: ▶ this video TL;DW: there are some perverse incentives to keep them broken. Basically the owner operators are forced to use a particular brand by corporate. Corporate McDonalds has a deal with a particular ice cream machine company. That particular company is the only company owner operators are allowed to buy from, and the only company allowed to service the machines. And it's no skin off of McDonald's back for these machines to always be broken, the cost falls on the owner-operators.
in “We can now fix McDonald's ice cream machines” · View on HN
AaronstotleAug 2023Recommends
For anyone interested in a good video about this, there is YT video that details how the Ice Cream Machine's being broken is essentially a scheme that McDonald's corporate runs on their franchisees. Source: ▶ this video
in “iFixit Petitions Government for Right to Hack McDonald's Ice Cream Machine” · View on HN
synchronizingAug 2023Recommends
Johnny Harris (filmmaker journalist) made a great video on topic: ▶ this video In short, McDonald's continues to use these frequently malfunctioning ice cream machines due to their long-standing exclusive partnership with Taylor. The cost of repairs fall on the local franchise owners, not McD Corp.
in “iFixit wants Congress to let it hack McDonald’s ice cream machines” · View on HN
shum1Nov 2021Recommends
Relevant link for those who want more context on the constantly broken McDonald icecream machine situation: ▶ this video I don't think the WIRED article isn't really doing justice to what Kytch is trying to show. The important argument is whether or not McDonald and Taylor conspired to prevent Kytch from selling / franchisees from purchasing this equipment, essentially a 'right to repair' argument. If Kytch wins, there could be ramifications for the tractor debate in the agricultural world as well.
in “New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit” · View on HN
fedreservedNov 2021Recommends
▶ this video This video did a good indepth investigation. From memory Taylors hq is within 5 miles of McDonald's HQ. To close for comfort when you see the type of shenanigans they go through to pad Taylors revenue
in “New emails released in the McDonald’s ice cream machine lawsuit” · View on HN
dna_polymeraseAug 2021Recommends
Kytch was also mentioned in this excellent mini-documentary about the whole topic: ▶ this video Worth watching, IMHO.
in “Why the McFlurry machine company just got hit with a restraining order” · View on HN
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sackerhewsJun 2021Recommends
Making something that only you can repair can be quite a lucrative business. This documentary is quite interesting: McDonalds Ice Cream Machines Are Always Broken: ▶ this video
in “Farmers Deserve the Right to Repair Their Tractors” · View on HN
mimseeMay 2021Recommends
This. Check out the recent news on why McDonalds ice cream machines tend to fail. ▶ this video Spoiler: it’s because the machine is broken and only one authorized company is allowed to fix it
in “Let's get Right to Repair passed” · View on HN
Pet_AntJun 2025Cites it
There's a lot more to it than that: Johnny Harris "The REAL Reason McDonalds Ice Cream Machines Are Always Broken" ▶ this video
in “Navy backs right to repair after $13B carrier goes half-fed” · View on HN
throw0101dOct 2024Cites it
> Here's a great YT video on why McDonald's ice cream machines are always broken: ▶ this video As habit or policy, can we all agree to get rid of the tracking information in Youtube links? * ▶ this video
in “We can now fix McDonald's ice cream machines” · View on HN
chongliSep 2024Cites it
They being the third party repair companies. Johnny Harris did a long piece on the whole story [1]. [1] ▶ this video
in “How to succeed in MrBeast production (Leaked PDF)” · View on HN
LinuxBenderMar 2024Cites it
Here [1] is a video on this topic by Johnny Harris from a couple years ago. It's been a while since I watched it but IIRC there is a conflicting relationship between specifically McDonalds the corporation and Taylor which benefits both of them but screws over the individual franchise owners. Here is an interactive map [2] that shows where all the broken machines are. [1] - ▶ this video [video][30 mins] There is a sponsor ad from 06:49 to 08:47 [2] - [link]
in “FTC and DOJ want to free McDonald's ice cream machines from DMCA repair rules” · View on HN
pengaruDec 2023Cites it
One problem with your claims is this is pretty well documented as a uniquely McDonalds franchise problem at this point. Competing fast-food franchises serve similar frozen dairy products, in a similar staffing environment, without their machines constantly being out of service. This video covered the situation fairly well IIRC: ▶ this video
in “McDonald's Ice Cream Machine Hackers Say They Found 'Smoking Gun'” · View on HN
ixwtAug 2023Cites it
This video [0] alleges that McDonalds franchise are required to purchase a specific model of Taylor soft serve machine. [0]: ▶ this video
in “iFixit wants Congress to let it hack McDonald’s ice cream machines” · View on HN
overtomanuAug 2023Cites it
There is a detailed video about it. Ultimately, conclusion seems like it is collusion between the two corporates to get profit at the expense of franchise owners The REAL Reason McDonalds Ice Cream Machines Are Always Broken by Johnny Harris ▶ this video
in “iFixit wants Congress to let it hack McDonald’s ice cream machines” · View on HN
esseeayenSep 2021Cites it
I had a look at what machines they use here in Australia and they seem to be similar to Taylor machines that they showed being used in the USA (this video: ▶ this video ). However, they almost always seem to be working without issue. If they are almost the same machine (would be for 240v) then I guess I’m glad that whatever is going on in the USA hasn’t reached here. Now the frozen drinks machines (slurpee, slushie, slush puppies) are down a lot more often but even then it isn’t down as much as the ice cream machines in the USA. But talking about McDonald’s McFlurry - in the USA do they still flurry it with the blending mixing spoon? They used to do that in Australia but now a McFlurry has no flurry and instead it’s just a plain sundae topped with Oreo crumbs or mini m&m’s.
in “The Feds Want to Know What the McFuck Is Going on with the McFlurry Machines” · View on HN
chengizSep 2021Cites it
Just pointing out this is a Johnny Harris, who put out a video [1]. I was wondering what the vice president has to do with McDonalds icecream machines. [1] ▶ this video
in “The Feds Want to Know What the McFuck Is Going on with the McFlurry Machines” · View on HN
gopalvAug 2021Cites it
> The real problem is that McDonalds corporate forces franchisees to buy a crappy version of the machine that generates huge income for Taylor Wendys also uses the same vendor with a better machine, which is where this starts to look malicious rather than incompetent. The broken machine is one specifically made for McDonalds. In general, this is anti-consumer in two different ways - you don't give me ice-cream with the apple pie and whenever it breaks, you throw away a couple of gallons of the mixture to be safe. There was a deep-dive into this from Johnny Harris[1], which dug through the manuals for the machine, sales projections from Taylor and why McD franchisees are easier marks for this than others (the revenue volume is huge). [1] - ▶ this video
in “Why the McFlurry machine company just got hit with a restraining order” · View on HN
neonologicalMay 2021Cites it
>So, the end result of having a soldered fuse was exactly the same as a socketed one: it was successfully repaired. I don’t see the justification for the extra BOM item. You joking? You realize houses and cars have socketed fuses that can be replaced almost turnkey. This is a simple solution to build into the product a UI that let's the user know a socket was blown and allow the user to replace a fuse like replacing a AA battery. FUSES are designed to fail and be replaced. Making those FUSES inaccessible is ALSO a design choice because it's contradictory. There was a point in time where every phone had a replaceable battery. You think that replaceable batteries disappeared because companies wanted to save costs? Sockets for batteries have been part of the design philosophy for consumer products for decades, the fact that these sockets are removed from phones is not a cost saving measure. This issue is much more widespread than you think: ▶ this video
in “Overkill objects for everyday life” · View on HN
ArbalestApr 2021Cites it
This is a youtube video on the same topic. Inventor of this device tipped this youtuber off, and so the youtuber looks to confirm the reasoning behind the device. ▶ this video Long story short, McDonalds created a monopoly for the icecream machine company, and then they abused it. This device comes into play, then McDonalds tells Franchisees not to use it.
in “ArsTechnica has retracted the story about McDonald's Icecream” · View on HN