IRVING, TEXAS – Every year, 7‑Eleven® stores throw a BIG party to celebrate its birthday on – what else?! – 7‑Eleven Day, better known as July 11 (7/11) on the calendar. Instead of cake and candles, the world’s largest convenience retailer celebrates with FREE Slurpee® drinks, inviting millions to the party. The company introduced convenience retailing 91 years ago and is now the largest convenience chain in the world.
The Slurpee celebration followed by “seven deals in seven days” also give hungry Slurpee drink fans an opportunity to try some of the newest 7‑Eleven fresh food menu items from artisan sandwiches to decadent brownies.
Participating U.S. stores will give away an estimated 9 million free small Slurpee drinks from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, Wednesday, July 11 (7/11), while supplies last. The featured Slurpee flavor is Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries®, recreated as a delicious frozen treat from one of America’s most beloved cereal brands.
“Free Slurpee day may be the most anticipated day of the year for millions of 7‑Eleven customers and new customers alike,” said Raj Kapoor, 7‑Eleven senior vice president for fresh food and proprietary beverages. “7‑Eleven Day is a celebration, not only of our birthday, but more importantly, of our customers. I encourage everyone to look around the store, grab an old favorite like a Big Bite® hot dog to enjoy with their free Slurpee drink or maybe try something they haven’t. We have lots of delicious new choices in stores.”
7‑Eleven is celebrating its birthday – and the “dog days” of summer – with $1 Big Bite hot dogs on its July 11 birthday, and a week later on National Hot Dog Day, July 18. The featured Big Bite flavor is The Reaper, a seriously spicy 7‑Eleven exclusive hot dog made with 100 percent beef and topped with Carolina Reaper seasoning blend. Customers can dress their dogs for free at participating stores with chili, cheese, pickles, onions, jalapenos, relish, pico de gallo and more at the condiment bars near the grill.
For 7Rewards® members, great deals continue the entire birthday week, with a new one each day:
July 12: FREE 7-Select Pure™ water with purchase of a BODYARMOR sports drink
July 13: FREE Big Gulp® fountain drink with purchase of a share-size Snickers candy bar
July 14: FREE 7-Select® popcorn with purchase of a 20-ounce Smartwater
July 15: FREE single-size Reese’s candy with purchase of a share-size bag of 7-Select® Gummies
July 16: FREE 20-ounce Coca-Cola with purchase of any flavor Cheez-It baked snack crackers
July 17: FREE single-serve bag of 7-Select® chips with purchase of any fresh sandwich
July 18: FREE single-serve 7-Select® tortilla chips with purchase of any 7-Select® nuts
For hungry customers wanting to try something new, 7‑Eleven has introduced 7‑Eleven Bistro™ sandwiches.
The new 7‑Eleven Bistro sandwiches are made with premium quality ingredients on fresh-baked bread is available nationwide at participating stores. The Trio contains black forest ham, smoked turkey, roast beef, provolone cheese, lettuce and tomato with spicy mustard and mayo on an onion roll. Purchase of a 7‑Eleven Bistro sandwich with single-serve bag of 7-Select chips earns 400 7Rewards points. Participating locations will also offer one or more regional premium options. Each sandwich contains at least 4 ounces of meat and is hand wrapped.
But, wait! There’s s’more! New in the fresh bakery case is everyone’s favorite campfire treat in brownie form. The S’mores brownie is a classic fudge brownie baked over a layer of graham crackers and topped with toasted mini marshmallows. Suggested retail price for the limited-time item is $1.99, and each purchase through the summer earns 200 7Rewards bonus points through the 7‑Eleven app.
7‑Eleven, the first convenience store, began its run in 1927 when a Southland Ice Company employee began selling bread, milk and eggs on an ice dock in a Dallas suburb. Since that inauspicious start, “convenience” has become a big business. The small ice company has grown into a major international retailing chain with almost 12,000 7‑Eleven stores in North America and more than 66,000 stores worldwide.
Every year, July 11 marks the day that the world’s No. 1 convenience retailer observes its birthday and other company milestones. 7‑Eleven introduced its iconic frozen carbonated beverage in 1966, and it was an immediate hit. The next year, the company’s advertising director coined the word “Slurpee” to describe the sound the drink made traveling through the straw. And a star was born. The retailer started the free Slurpee drink birthday tradition in 2002.
Wacky flavor names and quirky radio spots created a drink craze among teens and young adults, the same demographic group that today makes up the drink’s biggest fans. Slurpee drinks enjoy worldwide popularity, with more than 7.5 billion Slurpee drinks sold during its colorful history, enough for everyone on earth to enjoy one.
The 7‑Eleven mobile app is available via the App Store or Google Play. After downloading, customers can register to become a 7Rewards members and earn free drinks and points on every purchase.