“Right to Repair” Isn’t Just For Farmers, It’s For McFlurry Makers As Well

October 29, 2024 – Right to repair is a legal right for owners of devices and equipment to freely modify and repair products such as automobiles, electronics, and farm equipment. Right to repair may also refer to the social movement of citizens putting pressure on their governments to enact laws protecting a right to repair.

US Farmers gained some ground on this issue when they confronted John Deere in 2023. The issue with the popular green farm equipment makers was that even thought farmers owned thier tractors and combines, Deere actively prevent them from repairing the equipment themselves. This forced farmers to full rely on expensive dealership repairs.

And then there’s the phenomenon of broken soft serve machines at McDonalds. Taylor, the company who make and services these machines placed ‘digital locks’ to prevent repairs by anyone other than Taylor certified technicians. Owners claim this practice is behind the estimated 1 in 5 ‘broken’ machines in the US.

A plague of broken machine spawned many internet memes, and even an app, aka McBroken, to track working and non working machines.

But now, a legal loophole has been found and it’s currently legal to repair those machines starting October 28, 2024. Franchise owners will be able to break through the digital locks that have blocked them from repairing McDonald’s ice cream machines for years. According to the Copyright Office, the exemption will allow people to diagnose, perform maintenance, and repair “retail-level commercial food preparation equipment.”

Time will tell if this translates into more frosty treats available.