Kytch, Inc. v. McDonald’s Corporation, 3:23-cv-01998 – CourtListener.com
January 2025, they got as far as setting a timetable for the court case, then in May 2025 plantiff and defendant agreed to not go to court.
Immediately before the agreement, there was something about Kytch’s lawyer, which I don’t understand. I can’t tell which party folded.
I see that Kytch is out of business:
Kytch 2026 Company Profile: Valuation, Funding & Investors | PitchBook
When I was a teenager in the 1960s, I sold soft ice cream from a van. The dispensing machine was Italian (Carpigiano, I think), and they rarely broke down.
At the end of each day, the machines had to be thoroughly dismantled and cleaned. It took about half an hour and special detergent because some chemicals (bleach for example) damaged the internal works.
Some years later, I worked for a company that manufactured and sold catering equipment. McDonald’s franchises were springing up all over at that time, and we supplied a machine to make coleslaw. I was told that a franchisee was required to buy all their furniture and equipment from specific suppliers to ensure that they all looked the same and the products were consistent.
Were you told, at that time, if the “specific suppliers” happened to be owned by McDonald’s?
No. But I assumed that McD at least took a cut of the profit.
I think that sort of thing (requiring franchisees to obtain supplies and equipment from approved vendors) is common. For one thing, it ensures that, for example, the napkins are the branded ones rather than generic ones the franchise owner bought from Walmart or Costco. Second, it ensures that the equipment is able to prepare the food as per corporate standards.