McDonald’s is famed for their McFlurry, not for its flavor (although I do love it), but because every time you go, the ice cream machine is broken. Well not every time, but it sure feels like most trips leave me without a vanilla ice cream or an Oreo McFlurry. Since Shamrock Shake season is almost upon us, I want to know if I can get a shake in my hand with no troubles. Now, thanks to this website, I can.
What is the McBroken website?
The McBroken is a real time website that lets you know the exact location of every working and non-working McDonald's ice cream machine. Gone are the days of disappointment and regret. In are the days of M&M and Oreo McFlurries.
How was the McBroken website created?
Software engineer Rashiq Zahid is the brain behind the mcbroken.com. After a disappointing run-in with a broken machine, Zahid was determined to find a solution that the public could benefit from. He reverse engineered McDonald’s internal application programming interface to determine which ice cream machines were indeed broken.
Zahid’s site is so simple and easy to use. Search the map for the McDonald’s around you. If a location has a green dot, it means the ice cream machine is working. A red dot means it's broken, and a gray dot means that its status is unknown. You can also see which cities have the most broken machines at the moment.
How to upgrade your McFlurry experience
Once you find a location or two with a working machine, I suggest you run, bike, or fly over there. A McFlurry by itself is heavenly, but imagine something even better — a McFlurry ice cream sandwich.
Step up to the counter, or order the supplies you’ll need straight from the McDonald’s app. Order two chocolate chip cookies and your favorite McFlurry. Then, just smother the McFlurry in between the two cookies, and you’ve got a McIceCreamSandwich.