The gathering was not called The Cook-a-thon, as it has been in previous years, after objections were made against the tavern holding a licence mainly because of the Cook-a-thon promotion.
In previous years, students paid a set amount to enter the bar, get a T-shirt, free drink and three meals.
Dunedin City Council liquor licensing inspector Tony Mole said yesterday the bar did not offer drink specials and did not have a door charge, but hundreds of people still queued to get into the premises.
Queues started as early as 8am and some people waited for up to two hours.
The bar opened an hour earlier than normal.
"They just open up the doors and people come. They want to be seen."
The bar was running smoothly, but there were still issues with people being turned away and then "hovering" outside, he said.
There were also reports of people arriving at the bar intoxicated.
The bar had provided portable toilets for people waiting in the queue and barriers to try to stop people running on to the road.
Objections to the renewal of the Captain Cook Tavern's liquor licence will be heard at a hearing in front of the Liquor Licensing Authority in Dunedin on August 12.
