6 Fun Foodservice Facts About 7-Eleven
By Aimee Harvey on Jul. 10, 2017IRVING, Texas -- On July 11, 7-Eleven Inc. marked its 90th birthday with its annual 7-Eleven Day, a date that kicked off six weeks of special promotions related to its signature offering, the Slurpee.
Participating U.S. stores will give away about 9 million free small Slurpee drinks from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, July 11 (7/11). 7-Eleven is specifically using the promotion to market its new Cotton Candy flavor to Slurpee fans. Cotton Candy Slurpee is only available for a limited time at participating stores.
Slurpee Week continues the summer celebration, when Slurpee lovers who purchase seven Slurpee drinks July 12-18 and scan the 7-Eleven mobile app will receive 11 Slurpee drinks free. In a new twist this year, Slurpee cup icons will appear in the app, showing customers’ progress toward the free Slurpee goal. The deadline to enjoy all 11 free Slurpee drinks is Aug. 31, 2017.
It's no secret that the Slurpee is 7-Eleven's defining menu offering, but over the past 90 years, other foodservice offerings have set the chain apart from the convenience-store universe and beyond. Here is a look at some of the distinctive foodservice characteristics 7-Eleven is touting on its 90th anniversary ...
1. The world's largest chain
7-Eleven is the world's largest convenience-store chain. It is located in 18 countries, with 10,900 stores in North America and 62,000 stores worldwide.
It is No. 1 on CSP's Top 202 list of the largest c-store chains in the United States.
2. A list of firsts
7-Eleven was the first c-store chain to operate 24 hours a day. It was also the first to offer fresh-brewed coffee in to-go cups, and the first to install a self-serve soda fountain.
3. Who's buying Slurpees?
The most Slurpee drinks are sold in Detroit, while 7-Eleven sells the most hot dogs in Baltimore. And 7-Eleven sells more coffee in Long Island, N.Y., than anywhere else in the United States.
4. Outselling other retailers
7-Eleven sells the most hot dogs, cold beer, money orders and USA Today newspapers of all retailers in the United States.
5. Stats on Slurpees
7-Eleven sells more than 150 million Slurpee drinks every year in the U.S. alone.
Slurpee's best-selling flavor worldwide is Fanta Cherry. The second best-selling flavor in the world is Coca-Cola. More than 40% of all Slurpee drinks, which are served at a chilly 28 degrees, are sold during the summer months of June, July and August. And all the Slurpees sold in a single year would fill 44 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
6. Sandwiches, hot dogs, doughnuts and more
7-Eleven sells 2,300 sandwiches every hour, 365 million cups of coffee each year, 100 million hot dogs every year (that's 2.7 hot dogs sold every second!) and 149 million doughnuts every year.