The image of loitering teens in the parking lot annoying customers has been around for quite some time, probably starting with the greaser tough-guys of the ’50s cat-calling at poodle-skirted girls and dumping milkshakes on awkward George McFly types. And one thing we all know that if there is one thing that teenage toughs will run screaming to avoid, it’s opera. Or at least that’s how one McDonald’s claims to have rid itself of those pesky kids.

A McDonald’s in Australia had apparently been having some trouble with young whippersnappers lingering for too long in the parking lot, but recently started playing a “range of classical and opera music” in an attempt to harsh these youngsters’ collective mellow.

“We’ve noticed a reduction in the number of young people hanging around,” a rep for the company tells the Macarthur Chronicle, “but we’ll have to reassess it properly in a couple of weeks.”

The paper asked for feedback on Facebook from residents about the musical attempt to drive away teens and a number of people are happy about it.

“Great idea and it is working!” writes one reader. “I work nights nearby and it has made a massive difference already to the lingering and loitering in the car park.”

Others in the area complain about it being a bit too loud.

“They turn it up really loud when youth are hanging around the car park,” explains a resident. “It woke me up at 1 a.m. Tuesday night and it’s only going to get worse as Xmas approaches.”

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