Why are McDonald's coffee machines paused in the US and Canada?

McDonald's suspended use of certain coffee machines at some US and Canadian restaurants after supplier Melitta reported a possible defect. A component may fail and cause a steam explosion that damages equipment, so inspections are underway and could take up to three weeks. Espresso-based drinks and hot chocolate are unavailable at affected stores.

The machines cost about $3,000 each, and Melitta asked restaurants to stop using them until the root cause is found and a fix is provided. Cities including Atlanta, Dallas, Pittsburgh, New York and Tampa are affected. McDonald's has more than 14,000 US restaurants and sells nearly 8 million cups of coffee daily, but brewed hot coffee remains available.

McDonald's recently suspended the use of affected coffee machines at some restaurants in the United States and Canada after its coffee machine supplier Melitta reported safety hazards with the equipment, leaving espresso-based drinks, hot chocolate, and other products unavailable. According to CBS News, Melitta found that a component of the coffee machines may be defective, potentially causing a steam explosion and damaging the equipment, and inspections and investigations could last three weeks. McDonald's has more than 14,000 restaurants across the United States and sells nearly 8 million cups of coffee a day. The incident has affected multiple cities including Atlanta, Dallas, Pittsburgh, New York, and Tampa. The brand said it is assessing the scope of the impact and working closely with the supplier to restore supply as soon as possible.

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According to a CBS News report on November 20, McDonald's announced on Wednesday that, because coffee machine supplier Melitta reported certain safety hazards, some restaurants in the United States would stop using the relevant coffee equipment, forcing stores to temporarily suspend the supply of certain coffee drinks.

In a statement, McDonald's said Melitta advised restaurants to temporarily stop using some coffee machines worth about $3,000 to ensure user safety. The company found that a component of these machines may be defective, and the defect could trigger a steam explosion and cause damage to related parts.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Melitta sent letters to restaurant owners earlier this week informing them of potential safety risks with their coffee equipment.

The report, citing a letter to restaurant owners, said the coffee machine brand asked McDonald's restaurants to stop using the equipment until inspections and an investigation into the problem are completed, a process that could take up to three weeks. In response, Melitta said: "Our goal is to identify the root cause and provide a solution so that these machines can be used safely."

It is understood that McDonald's has more than 14,000 restaurants across the United States, and the chain sells nearly 8 million cups of coffee every day. Although the brand said stores will continue to offer products such as brewed hot coffee while the equipment is inspected, the safety hazards of Melitta coffee machines have still affected several cities including Atlanta, Dallas, Pittsburgh, New York, and Tampa, Florida, with some stores only able to stop selling certain coffee products.

Therefore, McDonald's said it is currently assessing the scope of the problem's impact and stated in its announcement that it has acted quickly to have some stores temporarily stop using the problematic coffee machines. It will also work closely with the supplier to resolve the issue as soon as possible and restore normal supply of coffee products.

It is worth mentioning that some McDonald's restaurants in Canada have also had to suspend the supply of coffee drinks due to the safety hazards of Melitta coffee machines.

McDonald's Canada said that, due to potential hazards in coffee equipment components raised by Melitta, some of its restaurants have temporarily stopped selling espresso-based drinks and hot chocolate. At the same time, McDonald's Canada said it is working with the supplier to safely resolve the issue. However, Melitta did not answer questions about how long it may take to resolve the equipment problem, so they are temporarily unable to determine exactly when coffee supply will return to normal.

At present, the local Canadian app shows that at least 13 drinks are unavailable at some stores, such as lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, and hot chocolate. Local media said that if users want to buy coffee, they can first check through the app or by phone whether the store has the product they want before placing an order.

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