Omar Knedlik’s soda fountain had just gone bust.

This Dairy Queen franchisee in Kansas City quickly stashed his sodas in a freezer.

When he picked them up later, he had slushy sodas that became an instant hit.

This idea caused him to build a ‘slushy soda’ machine, but he was wise enough to know that a new invention and category needed a brand. So he hired artist Ruth E. Taylor, who named it ‘ICEE’ and created a logo. 

When the ICEE machines hit 100 stores by 1965, 7-Eleven made a licensing deal with The Icee Company to sell the product and renamed it ‘Slurpee’ (the sound of sipping through a straw).

And it soon became an iconic name with mass appeal!

Since 2002, 7-Eleven has been offering a free Slurpee on its birthday (Jul 11) to all of its store visitors. 

COVID-19 caused the cancellation of this annual tradition this year, but that doesn’t stop millions from buying it every day.