As heat waves and intense summer temperatures continue to affect multiple areas in the United States, it would seem as though 7-Eleven’s free Slurpee day had perfect timing. So if you’re sweating it out today, you might be thrilled to find out that the day is today.
According to USA Today, 7-Eleven is expected to give away 5 million 7.11-ounce Slurpees–approximately a thousand of the frozen drink per store. The celebration commemorates the nation’s largest convenience store chain’s unofficial birthday.
But what is also intriguing is that when its birthday rolled around last year, 7-Eleven saw that Slurpee sales increased 38% according to Vice President of Marketing, Nancy Smith, quoted in USA Today. Although customers could guzzle down as many of the small, free Slurpees as they liked, some customers opted to buy their own. Some customers also purchased additional items and/or spent money on gas to obtain the free Slurpee.
While the idea that 7-Eleven made profits during their free Slurpee giveaway is interesting enough, USA Today notes that other chains have realized profits from their own giveaways. Such chains and promotions include Denny’s free breakfasts, KFC’s free chicken wings, and Dunkin’ Donut’s free doughnuts.