Story Of The Week: FTC Investigating Why McDonald’s Ice Cream Machines Are Always Broken

(Washington, DC) — The Federal Trade Commission is investigating a popular fast food restaurant’s ice cream machine because a good number of them seem to be broken or being fixed. The Wall Street Journal reports McDonald’s franchisees over the summer have been asked about the availability and service of the ice cream machines. The report says McDonald’s franchise owners have complained about how complicated the machines are and that fixing them when they break is often difficult. The FTC wants to learn how suppliers and the equipment works and how it’s reviewed. It also wants to find out whether restaurant owners are allowed to work on their own machines in their own stores. McDonald’s says it understands customers’ frustrations because they can’t get a milkshake or cone and they have a team working on it.