7-Eleven Day: 5 Slurpee Fast Facts

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) --  July 11 is the official namesake holiday for 7-Eleven -- a convenience store chain coveted for their signature Slurpees, dollar pizza deals and fluorescent signage glowing at all hours of the night.

In celebration, 7-Eleven is offering free Slurpees at all locations from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those feeling especially festive can even opt for their new birthday cake flavor, inspired by the 50th anniversary of the celebrated frozen delight.

We're paying tribute with some fun facts about the classic drink:

A 50-Year Old Tradition. Slurpees have come in all different types of flavors over the years, but according to the 7-Eleven website, the most popular have remained Coca Cola and Wild Cherry. Other longstanding flavors? Blue Raspberry, Pina Colada and Lemonade.

All About Technique. Slurpees aren't totally frozen, but when they're fresh out of the fountain, the frozen goodness can be difficult to gulp with a straw. 7-Eleven's Slurpee straws come with a special open edge on the bottom, allowing you to eat the treat like a icee before it starts to melt. They also offer gummy candy straws, if you're looking to add a sweet and sour twist to your treat.

Buckets of Fun. Once a year, 7-Eleven hosts "Bring Your Own Cup Day," inviting customers to fill up using whatever Slurpee-holding device they desire. In the past, there's been some pretty creative canisters -- including sinks, buckets and even toilet bowls!

More Than Just A Drink. In celebration of the Slurpee's 50th birthday, 7-Eleven's rolled out a bunch of snack ideas inspired by their signature drink, including Slurpee pop rock candies, Wild Cherry and Blue Raspberry-flavored cotton candy and even a blue gummy shark pack inspired by Shark Week. Check out some of their #HacksOnSnacks here.

A World's Worth Of Slurpee. According to the 7-Eleven website, the company has sold 7.2 billion Slurpees since 1966 -- almost as many Slurpees as there are people. That's a lot of brain freeze.