Community Digital News has discovered that a McDonald’s in Australia is streaming classical music and opera outside its digs to discourage youngsters from loitering around the premises. Apparently the fast food store manager tried Barry Manilow, but Beethoven and Puccini really keeps the juvies out.
“We play a range of classical and opera music and so far it seems to be working,” he says. CDN decries this “novel” strategy: “Many of today’s youth are turned off by culture that helped define the civilization that enables them to live a carefree life.”
Setting aside the debatable “carefree life” assumptions, this practice has been around for a while. I remember reading news items about it decades ago. And stores do it everywhere. Here’s a whole chain of Virginia gas and convenience joints that stream classical content. Here’s a Central Ohio milk and groceries outlet that does the same. And here’s the big secret: lots of people enjoy not only the new found peace and quiet, but the music as well.
“It’s cut down on a lot of traffic” one Virginian is quoted as saying. “I like it. It’s soothing.”
Speaking personally, I wish there was a McDonald’s in my neck of the woods that played Pagliacci. I’d hang out there. They’ve usually got wireless and the coffee is decent. As long as you don’t actually eat the burgers or fries, you’ll be fine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCduNCQtkcA
