'Don't Get McShammed': Jack in the Box Launches Savage Campaign Against McDonald's Ice Cream Machines Jack in the Box will be taking over a tracker that lets customers know when McDonald's ice-cream machines are broken.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Sorbis | Shutterstock

We've all been there before.

There are far fewer feelings worse than getting all the way to McDonald's only to find out that the McFlurry or ice-cream cone you've been craving can't be yours because the ice-cream machines are broken.

What began as a joke and somewhat of an urban myth (that is, the ice-cream machines seemingly always being broken) quickly gained traction in the mainstream, with one disgruntled customer even going so far as to create a broken ice-cream machine tracker online aptly called McBroken.com

Now, famous rival chain Jack in the Box is looking to capitalize off both the tracker and the unreliability of the ice-cream machines at the Golden Arches by taking over McBroken.com for the rest of March.

Related: Wendy's Slams McDonald's Over Broken Ice Cream Machines

The new map for March will not only show which McDonald's locations have functioning and non-functioning ice-cream machines but will also point customers into the direction of the nearest Jack in the Box by labeling each location on the map.

Earlier this month, McDonald's brought back its beloved Shamrock Shake, a minty-flavored green concoction that comes and goes each year around St. Patrick's Day.

According to McBroken.com data, a whopping 10% of McDonald's ice-cream machines in the country have been down since the shake was reintroduced to customers this year February 21.

Jack in the Box

In an effort to capitalize off of sweet-toothed customers, the Jack in the Box takeover will also serve to promote the chain's new Oreo Cookie Mint Shake which is in direct competition to the famed Shamrock Shake.

"Though we are but little ... our machines work,' Jack in the Box said in a release.

The campaign comes at a contentious time for McDonald's regarding its ice-cream machines as the fast-food titan was just slammed with a whopping $900 million lawsuit by start-up company Kytch.

Related: The FTC Is Investigating Why the Ice Cream Machines at McDonald's Are Always Broken

The company, which created device meant to fix McDonald's broken machines, got in to it with McDonald's in 2020 when the fast-food chain asked franchisees to remove the device from all machines as there were claims that "serious human injury" could occur as a result of using the product.

"They've tarnished our name. They scared off our customers and ruined our business," Kytch co-founder Melissa Nelson said in a statement to Wired. "They were anti-competitive. They lied about a product that they said would be released. McDonald's had every reason to know that Kytch was safe and didn't have any issues. It was not dangerous, like they claimed. And so we're suing them."

McDonald's was up 14.79% year over year as of Friday afternoon.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

They Started a Side Hustle Producing an 'Obvious' Food Item. It Hit $300,000 Monthly Revenue Fast — On Track for Over $20 Million in 2025.

When Jason Rosenbaum and Hailey Swartz couldn't find the product they wanted to see on grocery store shelves, they took matters into their own hands.

Business News

2 Major Career Companies Are Laying Off 1,300 Employees: 'AI Is Changing the World'

The job cuts at Indeed and Glassdoor mainly impact U.S. roles on teams such as research and development.

Growing a Business

How The NBPA and a Top African University Are Investing in Africa's Future — One Startup at a Time

One Court Africa hosted NBA players at UM6P in Marrakech for a four-day program focused on social entrepreneurship and sustainable business, which included mentoring six African startups and awarding $160K in grants through its Innovation Challenge.

Franchise

4 Reasons Why Local Entrepreneurship Is the Secret Weapon of Great Franchises

Community-driven leaders not only strengthen customer relationships but also innovate and elevate the brand, proving that the best franchises are built on the foundation of trust, collaboration and local intuition.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Marketing

The PR Playbook Every Emerging Brand Needs — But No One Talks About

The unglamorous (but necessary) work that makes press coverage possible.