One of the greatest mysteries of all time has been solved.
Most of us have been left deflated after being told at the end of a night you can't get a McFlurry because the machine is either off or broken.
If you've ever suspected that it's because staff just can't bothered, well, you're spot on actually.
Taking to Twitter, an ex McDonald's employee divulged that staff don't want to have to clean it after you order as it's a laborious process, Liverpool Echo reports.
Other former workers were also happy to back up this explanation.
@MichaelZyzzi said: "As an ex McDonald's employee, the ice cream machine was always working it just took too long to clean it so we used to tell everyone it was broken hahaha."
Meanwhile, ex worker @ikariarunner said: "Because people don't understand that you can't use it at all when it's on a cleaning cycle ... they just think you're wiping it down or something, it's easier to say it's broken."
And, McDonald's appeared to confirm that it's not as straightforward as you might think, in a reply to a customer who was told the machine was down during a recent visit.
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McDonald's replied: "Hi, Nene. Our shake and soft-serve ice cream machines undergo heat treatment cycles every 24 hrs—they're disassembled, sanitized and cleaned every 14 days. We’re sorry for any inconvenience."
In other replies, the fast food chain even suggested checking with your local branch before you go if you're after an ice cream or milkshake to avoid disappointment
We're pretty sure anyone who has ever been worked off their feet serving food and drink will sympathise.
