Fast food chain McDonald's cut its prices to 1970s levels today, attracting those keen on a bargain.

Queues are snaking out the doors and tables are lined with burgers at one Auckland McDonald's store having a 1970s flashback day.

The fast food chain is celebrating 40 years in New Zealand by "retrofitting" its Queen St store with '70s decor and serving up its original menu at 1976 prices.

Between 10am and 2pm, Big Macs will be 75 cents, fries 45 cents, and the classic McDonald's cheeseburger a measly 40 cents.

Fast food fiends are pushing at the six-item-per-person limit. Hayden Tungatt, 23, said he was onto his third burger and had another three lined up on the table for him.

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As someone who had grown up eating McDonald's, he thought the throwback day was a "great" idea.

CHRIS SKELTON/FAIRFAX Hayden Tungatt with his line-up of burgers from McDonald's on Queen St.

"The Big Macs have gotten smaller ... or maybe I've just gotten bigger. I'm not sure," Tungatt said.

New Zealand's first McDonald's store opened in Porirua on June 7 1976, with more than 100 diners queuing up outside the restaurant before its opening at 10am.

The Queen St store's original manager and current franchisee Mark Jenkins said he's seen the chain grow and diversify throughout the years and was "proud" to have been there since the beginning.

The Queen St store has been retro-fitted back to 1976.

"Over the years I've seen many innovations, from launching a breakfast menu and McCafe, through to introducing Create Your Taste, moving to free range eggs and All Day Breakfast."

He said despite the growth and change, McDonald's had done well in sticking to the classics that had customers lining up year after year.

Auckland University of Technology student Charlotte Caultas said the prices were "absolutely insane".

McDonald's staff were expecting droves of burger enthusiasts lining up for their classic menu items.

She was planning to buy as much as she could from the retro menu, but said she typically only ate McDonald's once a week or so.

"It depends how many times we go out to town at night," she said.

McDonald's spokesman Simon Kenny said the day had so far been a hit and he expected the queues would stick around until the deal finished.

McDonald's original 1976 menu.

"There's a good energy in the place, and everyone seems pretty happy," he said.

Staff had been kitted out with uniforms that were replicas of those worn in the 1970s.

The special menu included retro prices for 10 classic items, including six types of burgers, fries, soft drinks and desserts.

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