7-ELEVEN Free Slurpee Day — Heat Wave Zombies Roll In
Free Slurpee Day was last Wednesday and it came just in time! The insane heat wave that has hit North America has devastated millions and there couldn’t be a better time for a sweet, ice cold drink that is absolutely free. Commemorating 85 years in business, 7-ELEVEN was giving away slushees to anyone who came into one of their countless stores. Obviously, the slurpee size they gave away was 7.11 ounces, just enough for some relief on a blistering hot day. And not so coincidentally, 7-ELEVEN’s birthday fell on the eleventh day of the seventh month. I wonder if they know any other numbers?
Why Slurpees you ask? The ICEE became popular at the variety stores in the 1960s when the company was rapidly expanding. The cool new consistency was an immediate hit with their customers and they have been serving them since.
The 7-ELEVEN chain started in Dallas in 1927 with one shop selling basic farm products like eggs and milk in front of an ice house. It acquired its infamous name by simply stating the hours they were open: 7 AM to 11 PM. This caught on quickly and people loved the convenience of its location and its flexible hours, that was unlike any other store.
But for this event, it seems the 7-ELEVEN people flipped around the hours, perhaps cheating some people out of free slurpees. The freezing drinks were served from 11 AM to 7 PM to anyone who wanted one, and plenty took advantage of the opportunity. Customers had the opportunity to choose from a smorgasbord of flavours including the classics like Root Beer, Orange, Coke and Lemonade. But there were also some more adventurous flavours like Mountain Dew White Out, Swamp Water and The Dirty Zebra.
Buzz for the event on social media wasn’t huge and could have gotten more people involved if it was more prevalent in the right channels. In two days they generate just over three hundred likes on Facebook, which for a company of their size is small potatoes. Maybe they were trying to keep the free give-away on the hush-hush for true customers only.
In an effort to increase awareness about good health and combat the recent criticism of drinks that are high in sugar, 7-ELEVEN has recently released a diet version of the slurpee. The new flavours are sugar free and have half of the calories of the regular drinks. Some of these healthier choices include mango and strawberry-banana.
Thousands of people got their free fix of slurpee last week, and with it, a free serving of brain freeze that usually lasts for 7 to 11 seconds.
