What Are 711 Slurpee Machines?
Just about everyone in the United States and Canada knows what a slurpee is – the iconic semi-frozen carbonated beverage served up by the spinning dasher arms of 7-Eleven slurpee machines. With over 40 distinctive flavors ranging from Coca-Cola to watermelon to margarita, more than 14 million slurpees are enjoyed by thirsty customers across North America every month. But have you ever wondered what exactly goes on inside those machines that have been churning out icy refreshment since 1965? Let‘s dig in!
Technical Specifications
7-Eleven slurpee machines are highly specialized pieces of equipment tailor made to precisely produce the signature slurpee texture, mouthfeel and flavors. Key technical specifications include:
Core Components
Stainless steel freezing cylinder equipped with refrigerant coils
Rotating dasher arm fitted with blades to constantly scrape and stir mixture
Water and syrup mixing section with precision flow control valves
Water carbonation system that injects CO2 bubbles
Programmable computerized control module
Performance Parameters
Freezing cylinder temperature: 26°F to 30°F
Dasher rotation speed: ~60 RPM
Ideal product thickness: 1/2 way between liquid and solid
Desired CO2 volume: 3.5 to 5.0 volumes
Production Capacity
Output per hour: ~12 gallons
Storage tank size: 5 to 7 gallon chambers
Slurpee Fun Facts & Consumption Statistics
Slurpees have secured an enduring spot in popular food culture thanks to their refreshingly icy texture and ever-revolving array of colorful flavors. Some tasty tidbits around slurpee fandom:
| Fun Fact |
|---|
| On average, 7 to 11 slurpee straws are used per drink purchased |
| If placed end to end, over a billion slurpee straws used per year at 7-Eleven would wrap around the planet close to 15 times |
| "Free Slurpee Day" typically sees around 8 million free small slurpees given away |
| Over 70% of slurpees are consumed between 11AM to 5PM on hot summer days |
| Since 2002, around 85 million slurpee rewards have been earned via the 7Rewards loyalty program |
With thousands of locations across North America equipped with specialized slurpee dispensers, it‘s no surprise roughly 180 million slurpees get slurped up every year.
Slurpee Machine Manufacturers
While 7-Eleven has exclusive rights to the "Slurpee" trademark, they rely on specialized equipment companies to actually manufacture the machines according to proprietary specifications. The two main suppliers are:
FBD Partnership
Specializes in frozen beverage equipment
Headquarters: Fridley, Minnesota
Working with 7-Eleven since the 1990s
Produces around 500 slurpee machines per year
Gold Medal Products Co.
Global foodservice equipment manufacturer
Headquarters: Cincinnati, Ohio
30+ years as a 7-Eleven supplier
Annual slurpee machine output: ~800 units
These close manufacturing partnerships have enabled continual technological improvements to 7-Eleven‘s slurpee machines over the years while retaining that iconic six-sided stainless steel silhouette housing the spinning dasher arm.
Can You Purchase 711 Slurpee Machines?
Since "Slurpee" is a registered trademark of 7-Eleven, average consumers cannot purchase the exact same machines they use. However, very similar home and commercial frozen drink dispensers are produced by the brands like FBD, Frozen Beverage Dispensers, Lancer, and Vollrath. Prices range from around $1,500 for small under-counter units up to $8,000+ for heavy duty floor standing machines.
| Machine Brand | Typical Price Range | Key Specs |
|---|---|---|
| FBD FCM-400 | $1,800 – $2,300 | 1 Bowl, 8" Dasher |
| Lancer ICE-27 | $5,000 – $5,500 | 2 Bowls, 10" Dasher |
| Vollrath LIBBY | $6,500 – $7,200 | 3 Bowls, 12" Dasher |
| Frozen Beverage 700 Series | $7,800 – $8,500 | 3 Bowls, 14" Dasher |
While the average consumer likely doesn‘t need a high-volume unit taking up space next to the fridge, passionate slurpee fans have been willing to front serious cash to recreate those spinning dasher arms dispensing icy refreshment in their home bars!
The Future of Slurpee Innovation
7-Eleven continues to innovate within the frozen dispensed beverage category they pioneered nearly 60 years ago. Some particularly promising areas of R&D around enhanced slurpee machine technology include:
Smart Sensor Integration: Adding IoT sensors to monitor mixture consistency, temperatures, and rotating speeds in real time promises even greater drink quality and less waste.
Mobile Integration: Allowing direct mobile app integration to track loyalty points and redeem offers whenever purchasing a slurpee drink.
Self-Clearning Sanitation Tech: Employing automated clean-in-place tank sanitization between different flavors promises more efficient operations and adherence to health standards.
While Omar Knedlik probably never envisioned robot dasher arms or customers tapping on app screens when he jerry-rigged the first proto slurpee machine from scrap dairy parts in the late 1950s, 7-Eleven has continually improved their iconic frozen beverage system over the past six decades. With over 14 million slurpees guzzled every single month, icy refreshment cravings surely aren‘t going away anytime soon!
