McDonald’s customers may have to go elsewhere for a dollar more on frothy, caffeinated drinks for the time being.
Melita, which makes the $3,000 machines used in many McDonald’s U.S. stores, has recommended suspending the use of the machines to “actively ensure safety,” the company said Wednesday. said in an emailed statement.
“We are investigating the two affected machines. Our goal is to determine the root cause and provide a remediation plan that allows us to move forward,” Melitta said in a statement.
Melita notified restaurant operators on Monday that it was investigating a defective part that could cause steam to erupt and damage the part. The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a letter sent to restaurant owners, asking McDonald’s to suspend use of the machines for up to three weeks while it investigates the problem and inspects the machines.
The issue affects many espresso-based beverages, so hot and cold lattes may not be on the menu at affected locations, the Chicago-based burger chain said.
McDonald’s said in a statement: “We are moving quickly to remove these machines from McDonald’s stores and are continuing to communicate with our suppliers to resolve the issue.” “The extent of the impact is still being determined,” he said.
McDonald’s, which operates more than 14,000 restaurants across the United States, announced it will continue to sell hot and iced brewed coffee. The chain, which sells about 8 million cups of coffee a day, launched standalone eateries late last year. CosMc focuses on coffee and other specialty drinks.
The espresso machine issue is the latest headache for the chain, which is still recovering from a deadly E. coli outbreak likely linked to onions cut in McDonald’s Quarter Pounders. The chain is reportedly spending tens of millions of dollars to help its U.S. franchises recover from the crisis. Epidemics that caused disease 104 People from 14 states.