Slurpees
Machines to make frozen beverages were invented by Omar Knedlik in the late 1950s. The idea for a slushed ice drink came when Knedlik's soda fountain broke down, forcing him to put his sodas in a freezer to stay cool, which caused them to become slushy. Many people loved them, which gave him the idea to make a machine to help make a "slushy". When it became incredibly popular, Knedlik hired artist Ruth E. Taylor, to create a marketing name and logo for his invention. She came up with ICEE and designed the original logo, which is still used today. Early prototypes for the machine made use of an automobile air conditioning unit. In 1965, 7-Eleven began a licensing deal with The ICEE Company to sell the product under certain conditions. Two of these were, first, that 7-Eleven must use a different name for the product, and second, that the company was only allowed to sell the product in 7-Eleven locations in the U.S., a non-compete clause ensuring the two drinks never went head to head for distribution rights. 7-Eleven then sold the product that in 1967 became known as the "Slurpee" (for the sound made when drinking them). The term was coined by Bob Stanford, a 7-Eleven agency director.
The Slurpee machine has a separate spout for each flavor at the front of a tumbler or freezer, where patrons pour their own Slurpees, whatever the flavor. When Slurpees were first introduced, the dispensing machine was located behind the counter, and the clerk on duty would be tasked with dispensing the product. Common flavors are frozen Coke, Mountain Dew, and cherry, but new flavors are introduced regularly. In the Slurpee's early history, flavors rotated much more frequently than they do currently.
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Having grown up on Slurpees in the west, I can tell you that they are not the healthiest drinks you can have. First, they're loaded with sugar and usually artificial flavors and colors. But sometimes you can get diet drinks which offset that somewhat. My addiction began in the 1980's when I was growing up. Back then you could get a Slurpee from 7-Eleven for about 59 cents or so. Now the drinks cost $1.99 or more, depending on the size & if you're buying a new cup. What makes the Slurpee special is the unique taste and icy consistency. It's a refreshing drink and the flavors range from Blue Raspberry, Banana, Orange Crush, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Grape, and even strange flavors like "Chocolate Coffee".
The real magic of pouring your slurpee is choosing your own 'combination' of flavors. Some die hards like to stick to one flavor. Other people will choose the 'Swamp Water' method and pour every flavor into the cup, usually resulting in the most disgusting drink you'll ever have. I'll list some of my own favorite combinations:
- Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Coca Cola or Pepsi
- Coca Cola, Sprite, and Orange Crush
- Diet Pepsi, Dr. Pepper
- Sprite, Grape, and Dr. Pepper
- Cherry and Sprite
- Blue Raspberry and Sprite
- Banana, Orange, and Sprite
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