Loraine, 94, has been working at McDonald's for 44 years and has no plans to retire

A McDonald's restaurant in Indiana held a celebration last week for one of its longest serving staff members - 94-year-old Loraine Maurer, who's been working for the fast food chain for more than four decades.

Since 1973 Maurer has worked at a few McDonald's outlets in her hometown of Evansville, becoming a familiar face to customers and co workers.

"After all these years, she remains committed to serving her customers with one of the most delightful smiles around," said Chip and Katie Kenworthy, owners of the restaurant when Maurer works. "Loraine has a loyal following of customers and they look forward to having her take their orders when visiting McDonald's."

"My customers make my life," Maurer told People. "I have travelled with them, gone to ball games with them. They're friends, not just customers."

She eats McDonald's food on every shift when she's serving, and says her favourite meal is "the fish sandwich" adding: "Now I work mornings and there isn't anything I don't like. This morning I had a blueberry muffin, two fried eggs and a cup of coffee."

Maurer works two shifts a week and, so she tells ABC, has no plans to retire, although she does think about it when winter comes around.

"I would miss it too much," she said. "I don't want to get depressed and it's not that I don't look forward to going to work. It's not a job.

"I really and truly enjoy it. Life is what you make it. And so I'm trying."