As It Turns Out, Winnipeg Is Considered The Slurpee Capital Of The World
To hear locals tell it on Reddit, Winnipeg, population 766,894, is a big city that feels like a small town. The provincial capital of Manitoba, Canada, is big enough to have colleges, universities, hip restaurants and cafes, galleries, museums, and enough arts and culture to keep residents and visitors alike entertained in all seasons, including the annual Winnipeg Folk Festival and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. For sports lovers, let's not forget the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets ("Go Jets Go!”).
People tend to grumble about the weather in "The Peg,” which leans toward warm and breezy in the short-but-sweet summer months (average temperature 78 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) and brutally cold and windy in the long winter (average temperature 10 degrees Fahrenheit, but trending lower and below zero when you factor in wind chill). No wonder the city has another nickname: "Winterpeg."
Given Winnipeg's frosty reputation, you might think Manitoba's capital would be the hot coffee, hot cocoa, hot tea, or hot toddy capital of the world. But no. One of Winnipeg's claims to fame is that it is the Slurpee capital of the world, according to Thrillist. That's right: Bragging rights for consumption of 7-Eleven's sweet, neon-colored frosty beverage belong to Winnipeg.
Slurpee is a lifestyle in Winnipeg
If you love to sip and slurp Slurpees, you probably know by now that 7-Eleven celebrates National Free Slurpee Day on July 11 each year. But every day is Slurpee Day in Winnipeg. Yes, even in winter. Hat on the head, scarf around the neck, gloves on the hand gripping a cup filled with your favorite palette- and palate-pleasing Slurpee flavor? Perfectly normal behavior. In the words of 7-Eleven: "Slurpee is more than a frozen drink. It's a lifestyle.”
How did an ice-cold, sugary beverage born in the United States cross the Canadian border to become the drink of choice in one of the coldest cities in the world? According to Thrillist, 7-Eleven opened its first outpost in Winnipeg in 1970. Other stores followed, and the Slurpee was a major hit. In 2018, Winnipeg earned the title of "Slurpee Capital of the World” for the 19th year running. Slurpees are served at weddings, and men and women sport Slurpee tattoos, Thrillist reports. The drink has become as much a part of the food culture as bison burgers, wild rice, smoked fish, and craft beer. We can only imagine what Slurpee "Bring Your Own Cup Days" are like in Winnipeg. Surely there is a line around the block.
Meanwhile, in the United States ...
Have you somehow managed to get through life without slurping on a Slurpee from the world's largest convenience store chain? It's not far off from a snow cone (a mound of crunchy, flavored ice) or the fluffy Hawaiian shaved ice you might have had in Hawaii – or at a festival or fair. The iconic beverage is perhaps best described as a slushy cross between a fruit drink and a fizzy soda. Whether you serve yourself a blood orange Slurpee, a blue raspberry Slurpee, or one of the two top flavors — cherry or Coca-Cola — a Slurpee is a treat on a hot day or a cold day. According to 7-Eleven, the fluffy drinks are served "at a frosty 28 degrees” Fahrenheit — which might not seem very cold on a cold winter day in Winnipeg.
The reigning champion of Slurpee consumption in the United States is Detroit, Michigan. The Motor City is No. 1 in Slurpee sales, 7-Eleven reports, and you can even get hyper-local Slurpees made with Detroit's hometown brand of ginger ale, Vernors.