

Lack Of Food Copyright Helps Restaurant Innovation Thrive - alexandros
http://techdirt.com/articles/20100702/11365410062.shtml

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edge17
I think it's important to note that this is an observation and not a
correlation. It's a completely untestable hypothesis.

Besides, if the article is trying to contrast against technology, I don't
think the development cost of recipes is anywhere close to that of
semiconductors. I doubt it cost McDonald's eight figures to develop the egg
mcmuffin.

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toddh
I can't find a reference through all the noise, but I remember it being quite
expensive for McDonald's to develop a new food. If they use a fresh egg for
example, where will the supply come from when they can monopolize all the egg
production for a region? The food must be formulated to be cheap, hit the
right market, taste great, last, and have a high profit margin. Fast food is
more of an industrial project. Then they have to worry about distribution,
training, marketing, manufacturing, and how it will be manged throughout the
world. 8 figures might not be a reach. And nobody can copy it because of the
brand McDonalds and how they do all that other stuff. They don't need a
patent.

