2 ms·

As I read the comments (not watched the video yet) where people are discussing the misaligned incentives of both the ice cream machine vendor (Taylor makes mone

As I read the comments (not watched the video yet) where people are discussing the misaligned incentives of both the ice cream machine vendor (Taylor makes money on maintenance) and the McD franchisee (ice cream is a loss leader), I was reminded that a convenience store chain here in Utah has a self-serve shake machine (I forget the brand name) that has always been broken when I thought I'd try it out. I asked my wife, who goes to Maverick every day, if my perception that the shake machine is always broken was accurate and she said "yes. I've never seen it working. I've always wondered why they keep them because they just take up space." Fwiw

bombcar 5y ago
Those complex machines are often bought by corporate and require lots of hand-holding (I've seen the employees at Kwik Trip cleaning theirs multiple times which must mean it takes a decent amount of time to do, or I'd rarely see it). If the sales are mediocre it becomes a vending machine that requires work and the local management won't bother as it's not critical for the business - just like the ice cream machine isn't critical for McDonalds but I guarantee if they had the same problem with the soda machine they'd fix it somehow.