That’s the sales pitch. In reality the stuff breaks down regularly and nobody can get parts in a timely manner, much less someone who can actually do the repair work for a reasonable rate without some brutal service contract where you never actually own the equipment and aren’t allowed to work on it yourself. By the time you add up all the hidden costs the employees start looking like a bargain.

The ice cream machines have earned a reputation because they shut down and require tending to when they encounter a problem (just like us, fr). It’s a major drain for franchise owners but a boon for the machine’s manufacturer, Taylor Company, which has an exclusive repair contract with McDonald’s.

-Every time an $18,000 McD’s ice cream-maker breaks down, franchisees need to call up a Taylor technician. If a non-Taylor handyperson is used, the ice cream machine’s warranty is revoked.

-Fixing the complex machinery costs $350 for every 15 minutes of service, according to Ars Technica, so it’s no wonder Taylor has generated 25% of its revenue from maintenance and repair services in recent years, as Inc. reported.

https://www.morningbrew.com/daily/stories/2023/08/31/the-fight-for-the-right-to-repair-mcflurry-machines

no they were piloted planes
fixed wing "drones" require more 'piloting'

The queen refused to open the armory because she thought that the land grab was ridiculously illegal and she didn't want to shed blood on something that could be easily worked out diplomatically.

That's not how power works, though. The lack of resistance was taken as a sign that the people were sick of the monarchy (which was actually the case for a large percentage of the population) and legal exceptions were made.

Still it makes one wonder what the outcome might have been if there was a rifle in every home instead of locked up in an armory.