A fix for McDonald's soft-serve machines? 

When I worked at BK back in the day, the shake machine didn't have any electronic computerized anything. It had a hopper and it had a freeze mixing cylinder underneath it, with mixing blades that turned when powered up by electricity. The only time our shake machine didn't work was if we ran out of the shake mix.

American innovation. Taylor was making profit by the soft serve machines breaking down. These innovators created a solution, and had the rug pulled out from underneath them. Shame on Taylor and McDonalds.

Taylor is the kind of company that should be gotten rid of.

It's interesting how the soft serve machine at our local ice cream shop has never once been out of service (and my husband and I go there WAY too often!). I guess I'll just keep getting my ice cream fix from there instead of the local McDonald's.

I have worked for McDonald's off and on since 1974. So I have seen the evolution of their soft serve Ice cream over a period of almost 50 years. Early on there were few problems. But as the company has grown it has attempted to cram more and more into a smaller and smaller foot print. At some point they decided to combine a milk shake machine and a sundae machine into one unit. At one point they decided to make it a self cleaning machine. They have made the darn thing so complicated that no one knows how to maintain it. In the old days a crew person could be trained to take apart the soft serve machine in five minutes, clean it in ten and re assemble it in fifteen and an hour later we're serving soft serve to happy customers. The average McDonald's would have a dozen crew people so trained and every manager. Currently I am the kitchen manager of one in Florida and I've not a clue how to do any of the above. I have never been told how often it is supposed to come apart, be cleaned and re assembled. No one in our restaurant knows how to do this. Not even our general manager or maintenance staff. We have one full time employee employed by the franchisee to go from location to location to do this and since he has 18 locations spread out over a 40 mile distance most machines only get done every other week. I'm pretty sure it should be daily still but I honestly don't know. I will tell you that our machine has been down for repairs more than 50% of the time since I started working their in 2016 and most of that time was either waiting for replacement parts or for a certified repair person to visit and the last time we waited three months just for a diagnosis and then we were told it would take another four months to get a replacement for that machine and it was bought new in 2014. The Machine I used to maintain in 1995 was manufactured in 1984 and according to a friend who continued working there for years after I left, it didn't die until 2001. Those old machines were rarely down for any reason. So we are currently waiting delivery for our new machine sometime in August or September. Meanwhile we are renting a broken down piece of crap that's only four years old and is still down for maintenance 1/3 of the time but at least that is a vast improvement over the one we sent to the scrap yard months ago. The lesson to be learned is that the more complicated you make any machine the more opportunities there are for failure.

I read a long-form article about this, probably on Wired, and several months go. This was concisely and well reported. I hope that both Taylor and McD's have to pay out a big settlement.

Several times I have been told by ex-McD’s employees that the machines are designed and manufactured to be very sensitive to breaking down so the vender could reap millions in service fees.

I'm a field service tech for a large convenience store conglomerate and repair the taylor c300 and c302 units as part of my job (I'm also fully familiar with the 712 seen in this video and the 8756 non gravity fed system having run an icecream shop in my youth), the reason why we do it is because it's $600 just for taylor to walk through the door let alone labor cost and +10,000% markup on aftermarket junk parts; if you open a taylor unit they reserve the right to never service it again, especially if you add any of your own parts, and finally- in situations where we're not available you can't even find a 3rd party tech to service taylor units because they always result in a call back, hvac contractors don't waste their time with them- they'll work for 2 days and something else will break on them or the original problem will resurface, exactly as they said "overengineered" and I would add "crap" to that.

Just do not go to Mc Donalds

I love the Shamrock Shake. On St Patrick’s Day, used the app to order one. When I got to the McDonald’s, they said the shake machine was down. A few days later, I was able to get a mint shake at Culver’s. Their shake machine almost never goes down.

And this is why millions of Americans no longer go to McDonald's for ice cream and McDonald's is losing million upon millions of dollars in revenue from ice cream sales. Thank goodness for Dairy Queen, Wendy's Frostys, Burger King shakes, etc!

Go to Cold Stone! Infinitely better ice cream

It's ironic because milkshake machines were the thing that made McDonalds in the first place. You'd think a big company like McDonalds would just stick it to Tayor by designing and building their own damned machines.

As I designer of the micro controllers, that are often used by companies like Taylor, Taylor is being predatory and does not really want to make a reliable controller. They will only pay a consultant like me enough to make the controller just basically work. They could have made a lot better controller like the Kytch but they are too cheap in their engineering. to pay me to program the extra code.

I go to Dairy Queen instead! Their machines work.

I hope they win their suits!

I worked at McDonald's from 1979-1981 and the soft serve (ice cream) and shake machines were never out of service. I mean I don't remember one time the machine(s) was out of order. And they didn't require a "service contract" for maintenance. McDonald's was a totally different company back then.

I usually avoid McDonalds except for breakfast. I would go elsewhere for ice cream. Especially after hearing this.

I remember reading the article about Kytch in Wired magazine last year. Crazy! Taylor and McD’s have some sort of mutual agreement/benefit from their relationship. I do crave a soft serve cone once in a while but, tbh, supporting a local ice cream shop, especially one that makes their own ice cream is the way to go, WAY better ingredients!

This is actually pervasive throughout the industry. Pretty much every fast food chain does this

Someone forgot to tell those two KYTCH engineers about the key basic McD and Taylor corporate policies. Being McCrooks, McLiers, and will Mcstab you in the back when you least expect it.

One has to question the sanity of someone that goes to McD's for ice cream.

Did it never occur to Taylor/McDonald’s to buy out this company? The machines aren’t working. No one is making a percentage of anything. Zeros. Voting with my buck. Not going to McDonald’s. Do you think there are executives at DQ laughing their A’s off?

If 25% of your revenue is for replacement parts, it's no wonder why the machines are always broken 🤷‍♂️

McDonald's doesn't sell real ice cream. Their low-fat "soft serve" cannot legally be called ice cream. That's why their menu calls it "soft serve", or "shakes" rather than milk shakes. I'm surprised the report didn't mention that.

Perfect example of when you're a threat to a multi million dollar company or anyone, you get the short end of the stick. I truly hope you guys win the lawsuit.

Dairy Queen wins my heart over McDonalds, I'm afraid. The swirls on the cones, are what I always remember, too, as well as their Dilly Bars, their Star-sicles (firecracker, if you will), and their banana splits.

It's not even real ice cream, it's made by a chemist.

Yeah, but why do people go to McDonald's?

Plot twist, mcdonalds probably owns Taylor or has a family member who owns it. There’s no way for the giant to keep taylor when it has so many issues…

And this is why everything that’s made in America last 12 to 24 months or hours now, if you’re lucky. I’m keeping my old refrigerator until the doors fall off.

Wait... You call that white poop... Ice cream?

Here’s a deep cut for ya’ Ray Kroc, the man who stole McDonald’s from the McDonald’s brothers, first met the brothers at their restaurant as a milkshake machine salesman. 🤔

The machines are always broken 🙄

Let's remember, for those of us who have seen the movie "Founder," the man who claimed he started McDonald's was a liar and a thief. McDonald's is just continuing his legacy.🤷🏽‍♀️ Sooooo...I hope "Kytch" wins.

Go to Dairy Queen and leave McDonald's alone

I hope they win their case.

McDonald’s doesn’t have a single ice cream machine anywhere. They have frozen dessert machines, no dairy to be found. Kind of like they probably have no chicken nuggets..just nuggets of unknown origin.

Mcdonald's machine being broken every summer helps DQ stay in business.

I've never been to a Dairy Queen and been told they didn't have ice cream. They never had a broken machine. None of the independent local restaurants have either. It's ridiculous that McD's can't get this right.

that’s why, with very few exceptions, when I see something writing in the label “made in USA”, I don’t buy or I go for the one that says: “made in Germany”.

Based on my son's experience, at his location they were usually "broken" because they're a massive PITA to clean, so minimum-wage & overworked employees just avoid using them because they have plenty else to do. You want to fix the machines - make them auto-cleaning.

i still don't understand how they could remove their best products off the menu and yet still kept ice cream but only to realize that their machine rarely ever works.

Can I just say I love how much drama there is surrounding McDonald’s ice cream machines. This is the kind of drama I want in my life.

I gave up years ago. I no longer bother to stop by a McDo if I crave a sundae or McFlurry. I’d rather drive to the closest Dairy Queen, which by the way, Blizzards and sundaes are amazing.

Is there a similar situation going on with the McDs ice machine too? I went through the drive-thru of one of the five MDs within a two mile radius of my house twice last week, to purchase their "any size for $1" soft drink and both days the ice machine was out.🤔

I haven’t eaten in a fast food restaurant in at least 50 years. The ice cream thing: why would you even go to McDonalds when there are better choices at the grocery store or, if you are up for it, making your own. Is Carvel still around?

When I worked there in the 80s our machine was never down! We ran it all day and took it apart to clean it every night. Never an issue. Newer and higher tech isn’t always better .

Status quo was just fine to Taylor and they kept it that way….no ice cream for you!

I'm a service technician I work on Taylor sometimes but mostly Stoelting, Duke electro freez spaceman, Taylor's tech support will hang up in your face and there's only one place and Houston Tx (Lane equipment) to get service or parts and they don't give you any information either. I'm in Texas so Ralph Wright commercial refrigeration and Stoelting are number one here in quality not quantity, and yes it's true what they say about Taylor.

It’s not a bug. It’s a feature.

Always support Local Homegrown Businesses! Corporate America is always up to no good and you are just paying them to feed you chemical food.

People yelling that the ice cream machine is down 🤣. I laugh but very much feel your pain. They're never working!

It would never even occur to me to go to McD's for ice cream.

I live in Georgia and our local one has NEVER worked!!!!🤣🤣

Whenever I see a line at Dairy Queen, I always think McDonald’s ice cream machine must be broken.

They absolutely should sue both companies

Actually surprised that CBS didn’t fully take the side of Mc & Taylor. Right to Repair is a serious problem and this segment could have done more to shine the light on this topic. Even entertaining the idea that Taylor doesn’t make tons of money off of service calls or that reverse engineering is “dirty” damages the movement.

They aren't broken - they just don't want to make the ice cream or clean the machines.

My cousin Ray Ray owns two territories under Taylor and makes off like a bandit. He bought just bought me a G55.

Hope kitch wins

Why does everyone think that this is solely a McDonald's issue? Try getting a milkshake at Burger King.

I've been a David Pogue fan for over twenty years, since buying his "iMac for Dummies" book. This is the first time I've ever seen him do a "serious" interview, without trying to be funny (except for the "on ice" quip--nice!) and he was great. Nice to see the change of pace, David (but I still like it when you're goofy, too).

Lots of other places in my town to get ice cream and it's much better than McD's

I got the fix; quit buying it all together and all of a sudden that issue will solve its self.

4:39 is like modern day poetry

Go to Wendys for a FROSTIE!!!

I worked at a McDonald's for 6 years between 1984-1990...it literally took 20 to take it apart..clean it..and putting it back together....the only sharp parts were these long blades that stir the ice cream..but almost never hazardous...

Anyone wanting to secure that bag could easily sue McDonald's for false advertising.

Shame on you McDonald’s. I hope these honest inventors win their lawsuit

I want my MCFLURRY!!!!! CANCEL MY WHOLE ORDER!!!!

Hey -- no 💚 for the McBroken website? Deserves a lot of credit! Maybe even a share of the settlement....? 🤔😉🍦✌🏼

Go somewhere else for ice cream

I hope they win. 🍀👍

Sue McDonalds!!!

Forget this. When are they bringing back the frappes?

The McBroken site doesn't say how many are broken It's based on the information gathered from the mcdonalds app that indicates "outages" on thd machines An outage can be something as minor as a specific size of cup being out or flavor bring out It also doesn't indicate what machines are simply in the daily heat treat cycle or cleaning or the 14-day brush cleaning cycle

The unit in my town in South Carolina hasn't worked in years...they took it off the menu...lol..

Johnny Harris fixed this issue when he blew up Mcdonalds spot on the ice cream BS.... all my local mcdonalds ice cream machines work like almost every time now.... thank you johnny

the title of this video should have been "smart couple figures out how to sue mcdonalds over their ice cream machines"

The McDonald's Ice Cream machine is not always down. It's just down when I want some ice cream.

That Kytch looks a lot like a Raspberry Pi computer

I just wish they'd post a sign that let's you know the ice cream machine is down so you don't have to wait in the drive thru for nothing.

The ice cream machine is always broken because they don't wanna clean the machine!

My dad and I had a McDonald's ice cream cone today. As we are them I told my dad how much I love their soft serve since the 90s when they changed their menu to have healthier options.

The ice cream machine has been broken in Ponte Vedra, Fl. for 2 years & 5 months even late at night, the entire time I have lived here.

Dairy Queen ice cream is better and they never have issues with their machine AND Burger King is selling similar ice cream too. F McDonald's

Taylor machines are used in ice cream shops across the United States... the employees are trained to keep the machines maintained and cleaned. Those "criptic" messages are from machines being ignored, and if you know these machines, it is unsanitary too.....

I recently tried the improved Costco soft-serve strawberry parfait! You can have the soft-serve plain, with chocolate or the strawberry for I think $2.49? IMHO I think it is almost the exact same flavor and texture of McDonalds! It's not available at 11pm at night, but living so close to the original Costco in Kirkland, WA, I will go there way too frequently this summer to enjoy the three choices! 😍

Send this to Louis Rossman and Steve Lehto; right to repair!

I rarely eat at our local McDonalds but when I have the ice cream machine has always been 'down'. I can't remember a time when I was able to get a shake or ice cream from McDonalds due to the machine being broken.

I stopped ordering ice cream from McD's. Also, I go to McD's less often as a result. Their own fault.

If I were them I would start a small ice cream truck business that parks nearest to the McDonald's parking lot and nationally make money by ever broken machine.

I thought the problem was employees jizzing in the machines.

Same here in Wisconsin!

Thank you for sharing this case...

I was wondering what was going on with the ice cream machines.🤷😁😵

Why haven’t they fixed it? This issue has been going on for a few years. Can a company afford all of this bad press?

Big companies screewing the little guy, that's the American way ain't it?

I just hope they win the lawsuit against Mc/Taylor.