Video has emerged online of an employee at an Auckland CBD burger restaurant smoking on the premises while a second employee jokes about using a container full of cheese as an ashtray.

TVNZ1's Fair Go was sent footage of the incident by a concerned customer who saw it posted on an Instagram story in the early hours of this morning who does not wish to be named.

"I came across a live story which had me in disgust. The employees smoking cigarettes in the well known take away restaurant 'Better burger' in Auckland, It’s unprofessional, unhygienic and disgusting.

"To also have my kids eating here is utterly appalling," the message accompanying the video said.

The video, shot at Better Burger in Britomart, shows two young men smoking behind the store counter while holding a container full of cheese used to make the burgers.

"Using our cheese as an ashtray," one of the men says before the other man smoking says: "No it went in the bin the cheese is still good."

Better Burger General Manager Rod Ballenden told 1 NEWS he is "hugely disappointed" with the incident and it has been "dealt with swiftly."

"One of the people in this video is no longer employed by us, the other has now been suspended and is facing a disciplinary hearing and their employment will be terminated," Mr Ballenden said.

Mr Ballenden went on to say it was an isolated incident and the food items appearing in the video were "disposed of".

"This video footage was taken after the store had closed and the contaminated items were disposed of before opening this morning.

"Our operations manager conducted a full stock take and incident report and ensured the store was restored to its full Grade A standing.

"We strive to uphold the highest standards of customer service and food hygiene and we have a proud record of upstanding compliance within the MPI Food Control Plan.