Abstract We consider the notion of a constant length queue automaton—i.e., a traditional queue automaton with a built-in constant limit on the length of its queue—as a formalism for representing regular languages. We show that the descriptional power of constant length queue automata greatly outperforms that of traditional finite state automata, of constant height pushdown automata, and of straight line programs for regular expressions, by providing optimal exponential and double-exponential size gaps. Moreover, we prove that constant height pushdown automata can be simulated by constant length queue automata paying only by a linear size increase, and that removing nondeterminism in constant length queue automata requires an optimal exponential size blow-up, against the optimal double-exponential cost for determinizing constant height pushdown automata. Finally, we investigate the size cost of implementing Boolean language operations on deterministic and nondeterministic constant length queue automata.