Schwartz's celebrates 90th anniversary with $1.09 lunch trio

If you blinked you missed it.

Schwartz's Deli offered its lunch crowd a smoked meat sandwich, fries and a soft drink for $1.09 in celebration of its 90th anniversary on Tuesday — that same meal costs about $20 normally.

The special was from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and it was only for customers eating in the restaurant, not takeout orders.

People started lining up at 10 a.m.

The deli's actual anniversary is December 31, but it has been celebrating with events all year.

Schwartz's general manager, Frank Silva, said putting the deep discount on a day in November was so that locals could get in and enjoy it.

In summer, tourists can fill up the sidewalk until the lineup snakes around the corner.

In line Tuesday was Jean-Michel Lafontaine, a student at The Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec, a school that offers restaurant and hotel management training.

"My courses have been cancelled this afternoon and I need to eat, and one dollar is a good deal right now," Lafontaine said.

Not all the customers were local, however.

Kartik Kanungo saw the special on social media and drove in from Ottawa for it.

He said he felt "great" about the decision.

"I feel really good, I feel full, especially for the price, didn't hurt the wallet," Kanungo said.

Silva considered the day a success.

"I'm happy. A lot of people are in line and they're enjoying a very good meal at practically, zero dollars," he said.

In June, Schwartz's Deli organized a treasure hunt in Montreal to celebrate its anniversary.

Not much has changed since the world-famous smoked meat restaurant was founded in 1928 by Romanian-Jewish immigrant Reuben Schwartz.

The restaurant uses the same mix of spices on its meat, and the decor is intended to make customers feel like they're "taking a step back 80 years into Main Street history in Montreal," according to Schwartz's website.

With files from Brian Lapuz