McDonald's ice cream machines get help from the feds
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An Oreo McFlurry. Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios
The federal government recently made it easier to fix McDonald's broken ice cream machines.
Why it matters: This could greatly reduce the chances of being disappointed when you pull up to a McDonald's for a McFlurry or a cone, both of which are delicious.
Driving the news: A new rule by the U.S. Copyright Office says third parties, like franchisees of the Chicago-based fast food chain, can fix the machines without violating copyright law. Previously, only the manufacturer could repair them.
The fine print: The exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) allows digital code to be bypassed in order to repair commercial and industrial equipment.
Zoom in: The Taylor Company, the manufacturer of many — but not all — of McDonald's ice cream machines had copyrighted code that only it had access to in order to fix the machines.
- A spokesperson for the company did not return Axios' call.
Between the lines: That unique access created a monopoly on the repair jobs, forcing many restaurants to wait with broken ice cream machines until Taylor could get a repair person to fix it.
Reality check: A startup called Kytch came up with a solution for the broken machines but sued McDonald's, alleging the company told franchisees not to use it.
- Kytch and McDonald's are currently negotiating a settlement.
The "Right to Repair" movement, which advocates for legislation that makes it easier for individuals to fix products they own, rather than relying on manufacturers, calls the copyright exemption a win.
What they're saying: "The Copyright Act doesn't care who repairs the machine," intellectual property attorney Josh Geller tells Axios. "Rules that were created to protect creators — you know, musicians and authors and all that — really should have nothing to do with people who make ice cream machines."