McDonald’s Broken McFlurry Machines Now Have a Solution Thanks to the US Copyright Office

McDonald’s broken McFlurry machines have become a bit of a pop culture punchline. However, thanks to the United States Copyright Office, there is now a permanent solution to this ongoing problem. Let’s take a look at what that means for the fast-food giant.

McDonald’s Is Now Allowed To Fix Its Machines, Says US Copyright Office

According to CNN, up until now, the manufacturing company Taylor has had the copyright and exclusive rights to fix the soft-serve ice cream machines, therefore McDonald’s franchises haven’t been able to do it themselves.

By bypassing the digital locks that stopped the machines from being maintained, restaurants now have the “right to repair” them thanks to a copyright exemption issued by the U.S. Copyright Office. It has been so difficult for the clients to get timely solutions that a third-party website called McBroken.com — which recently teamed up with rival Wendy’s — keeps track of their availability.

To enable third parties to get around the devices’ digital locks for repairs, the advocacy group Public Knowledge and the website iFixit requested the exemption, which took effect on Oct. 28. Commercial restaurant equipment was given a limited exemption, even though the rest of the request was denied.

After iFixit disassembled an ice cream maker and discovered “lots of easily replaceable parts,” Public Knowledge joined forces with the organization to tackle the problem.

Public Knowledge Senior Policy Counsel Meredith Rose said the ruling will result in an “overdue shake-up of the commercial food prep industry.”

“There’s nothing vanilla about this victory; an exemption for retail-level commercial food preparation equipment will spark a flurry of third-party repair activity and enable businesses to better serve their customers,” she said in a statement.

Neither McDonald’s nor Taylor released a statement about the ruling as of press time.

McFlurry Makeover

Assuming the machines are finally going to get repaired (and stranger things have certainly happened), McDonald’s McFlurry fans can expect a whole new look when it comes to their favorite sweet treat, as the fast-food giant announced that it would be giving the McFlurry a “McMakeover” back in September.

On Sept. 10, the company dropped the plastic dome-shaped lid on the ice cream treat and switched it out for a new cardboard cup with four flaps to cover the top.

This update is the most current in the company’s many years of attempts to make environmentally friendly changes. The company has responded to criticism of its ongoing pollution problems by making decreasing plastic one of its stated goals. In particular, plastic straws have the potential to exacerbate the circumstances of marine species by introducing microplastics and increasing ocean pollution.

In 2018, McDonald’s set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its restaurants and headquarters by 36% between 2015 and 2030. In 2021, the restaurant chain switched up some of its plastic Happy Meal toys with 3D paper toys that patrons could put together.

In 2023, McDonald’s phased out the McFlurry plastic spoon, which doubled as a spindle to mix in the toppings. When customers order a McFlurry, they now receive a smaller black spoon that uses less plastic, and the chain uses a reusable spindle to mix the toppings, which is cleaned after each use.

Customers looking for a more cheap or manageable dessert option can now choose from a new McFlurry serving size called the Mini McFlurry. Additionally, new cups half the size of the larger ones will be used to serve the lesser offering. Going forward, the McFlurry, a longtime mainstay on the fast-food juggernaut’s menu, will look a little different. This action is the chain’s latest attempt to boost sales at its struggling eateries.