A Glasgow branch of McDonald’s is serving up a side of Bach with its Big Macs in a bid to reduce anti-social behaviour.
Classical music is played in the Maryhill Road branch of the fast food outlet from the early evening and for one customer, it was hitting all the right notes.
Lana Murphy, 38, told The Herald: “I made my order at the automated system and was standing back. At first I didn’t notice it and was looking around and I thought everyone was really chilled out in there - I definitely didn’t imagine it.
“When I noticed it, I just thought it was genius. What a nice thing to do instead of howling techno music. It was really unexpected.”
Perhaps not the first port of call for a classical fan, McDonald’s has been dishing out side-orders of Chopin, Vivaldi and Beethoven since 2013 when the use of the relaxing music was piloted in franchises across the UK.
Said to be Scotland’s busiest McDonald’s restaurant, Glasgow’s Argyle Street branch employed the tactic in 2015 after Police Scotland recorded over 200 incidents in 14 months.
Among the incidents reported were violent assaults, homophobic breaches of the peace and the body of a drug addict lying undiscovered in the toilets for five hours before police were notified.
At the time, police said incidents at the premises were a drain on their resources and they had been forced to increase patrols.
Council bosses ordered the restaurant, which opens from 5am to 3am Sunday to Thursday, and 5am to 4am Friday and Saturday, to draft in up to four stewards every night to help combat the unruly crowds.
The franchise was also instructed by the local authority to have regular meeting with Police Scotland to “ensure proper management of the premises.”
When introduced, the classical compositions were played on week nights and all day over the weekends.
Mrs Murphy, who ordered a regular Big Mac meal with fries and a water to takeaway from the 24-hour McDonald’s at around 9pm on Tuesday, savoured the music so much that she was left unruffled by having to wait for her order.
She said: “My order took a wee while and I didn’t feel irate at all. I had a really nice time and noticed everyone else was pure Zen.
“It made me feel great and left a real impression on me and then I noticed everyone else seemed to be enjoying it too.”
READ MORE: McDonalds: Bouncers to remain at trouble-hit restaurant...but only at weekends
In April last year it was reported that the Dumbarton McDonald’s had drafted in long-dead composers to put a stop to rowdy youths who met up in the St James Retail Park branch to cause trouble.
The teen gangs were believed to be coordinating their movements on social media before congregating in the outlet.
After its introduction, local police told news outlets that the music was having the desired effect.
Individual restaurant teams and franchisees make the decision to play classical music and when.
A McDonald’s spokesman told The Herald: “We have tested the effects of classical music in the past and played it in some of our restaurants as it encourages more acceptable behaviour.
“Typically classical music is used from early evening onwards and, in some cases, on certain nights. The music played in our restaurants is a mixture of composers and covers pieces from full orchestra to solo piano pieces.”
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