DALLAS -- Although the U.S. Interstate Highway System has turned 50, and George W. Bush has turned 60, 7-Eleven has them both beat at 79. Every year, July 11 marks the day that the convenience retail giant observes its birthday. To celebrate, participating 7-Eleven stores across America will serve up 3 million free 7.11-oz. Slurpee drinks in special "Happy Birthday!" cups to customers as long as the cups last.
And the 32-oz. Big Gulp fountain drink, introduced in 1981, turns 25. During the last quarter-century, 7-Eleven has sold almost two billion fountain [image-nocss] drinks in various "Gulp" cups (specifically Gulp, Big Gulp, Super Big Gulp and Double Gulp cups). To commemorate the occasion, 7-Eleven will offer customers extra-big Big Gulp drinks in 40-oz. cups, with the additional 25% free fountain drink signifying 25 years of Big Gulp. The special Big Gulp cups will be available throughout the summer or while supplies last.
The chain began in 1927 when a Southland Ice Co. employee started selling milk, eggs and bread from his ice dock in Oak Cliff, a suburb of Dallas. The small ice company has grown into a major international retailing chain with 5,800 7-Eleven stores in the United States and Canada and more than 30,000 stores worldwide.
The company claims to have introduced convenience retailing and many convenience concepts that are now standard fare, not only among convenience stores, but also many of which have been adopted by quick-service restaurants and other types of retail outlets. 7-Eleven was the first c-store to advertise on TV, operate 24 hours a day, sell gasoline, offer fresh-brewed coffee to-go, self-serve fountain drinks and giant drink cups, and sell prepaid phone cards, the company said.
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