Live Music ... at McDonald's

McDonald's second floor piano player

McDonald's in New York City is like Starbucks: there's one on every corner. But the one nearest my work is a little different. It has a live piano player during lunch.

The McDonald's is on Broadway in Lower Manhattan, and an easy walk from the 9/11 Memorial and the Century 21 shopping mecca. Therefore it attracts a lot of tourists. But, of course, it counts many nearby workers as customers, and the live music certainly makes it stand out from the other nearby dime-a-dozen restaurants.

The pianist isn't playing Mozart are Beethoven -- but instead she often plays songs I recognize, like "Moon River" or some tune from West Side Story. But just as often it's something nice and pleasant that I don't know. Whatever it is, it's better than Lady Gaga or whatever radio station Wendy's has on.