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It's 6PM on a Friday, it's 95 degrees outside, and you want nothing more than to pull into McDonald's and snag a vanilla cone. But the voice on the other end of the speaker lets you down with these words: "I'm sorry, our ice cream machine is down right now."
Boom, evening ruined.
But good news: This will no longer be an issue across America, as a change has been made that will end this problem for good.
The U.S. Copyright Office just granted an exemption that will allow third parties to diagnose and fix commercial food preparation equipment, such as McDonald's ice cream machines.
Before now, only people who were trained by and work for the brand that makes their machines, Taylor, were allowed to work on these machines.
So if a McDonald's ice cream machine broke down, they'd have to wait until a certified Taylor employee could make it out to the location to diagnose and fix the problem.
Now, anyone with the proper training can get under the hood, so to speak, and figure out and fix the issue..
The craziest thing here is how important ice cream is in America — the feds have gotten involved to try to rectify the issue!
The Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department note that there tends to be long wait times for authorized soft serve machine repairmen, and they charge "over $300 per fifteen minutes."
Meanwhile, restaurants can lose $625 in sales daily due to soft serve equipment breakdowns, the filing said.
If you are thinking that $300 per fifteen minutes is a good rate, join the club — we might be in the wrong business!
The new rule took effect on October 28, 2024. It will be interesting to see which McDonald's locations will come up with something new to say if they don't want to get your ice cream (just kidding).
23 Country Stars With Their Own Bars + Restaurants
Of all of the side hustles country artists could partake in, opening a bar or restaurant is the most fitting — and very common. After all, many of these stars got their start on a barstool, tip jar nearby, playing their music for anyone who would listen.
These places feel like home for many of these singers. Over the years, several artists have gotten into the bar or restaurant game, and for a select few, brands have turned into franchises with several locations and/or concepts — we're looking at you, Jimmy Buffett!
Let's take a look at the country star food and entertainment venues that have opened over the years.
Gallery Credit: Jess
PICTURES: See Inside John Deere CEO's $3.9 Million Barn Mansion
John Deere CEO John C. May is selling his stunning "barndominium" estate in Illinois, and pictures show a one-of-a-kind property that you have to see to believe.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
20 Things Carrie Underwood Has Done Since Winning 'American Idol'
Carrie Underwood has been, well, busy since winning Season 4 of American Idol in 2005. Since the confetti fell, the country singer has released nine albums and embarked on seven tours. She's also tried her hand at acting and launched a handful of businesses.
Over the years she's become one of the biggest success stories to come out of the show, winning countless awards and amassing a staggering net worth of over $100 million.
Keep scrolling to see 20 things Underwood has done since her time on the reality singing competition.
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