In the late 1950s, Omar Knedlik, a Dairy Queen franchise operator in Kansas, built a frozen beverage machine with parts from an automobile air conditioner. In 1966, 7-Eleven licensed his invention for one of America’s favorite gas station treats: the Slurpee.
Sixty years later, Knedlik’s legacy lives on, but with a flavor combination that would likely blow his mind. To celebrate the Slurpee’s diamond anniversary, 7-Eleven released a special birthday flavor: Mountain Dew Confetti Chill.
The limited edition flavor—which 7-Eleven describes as a “zesty lemon cake treat in frozen drink form”—is available now through August 29.
To dew or not to dew
The combination might seem unexpected for Mountain Dew, a brand known for its neon color and distinct lemon-lime taste. The online response was polarizing.
One fan on X praised the announcement with a post saying, “This is why we live in the greatest country on earth!”
Others were more skeptical. In a Reddit feed, one fan commented, “Eww. I would still try though.” When asked if they enjoyed the Slurpee, another user replied, “Yes but it’s like drinking frosting.”
And some were flat-out haters. One user commented, “I can’t even imagine the flavor of this abomination. Hold the handle down til it all comes out n then walk away.”
But this isn’t the first time the brand has tried a more decadent palate. Many fans compared Confetti Chill to Mountain Dew’s June 2021 limited-edition Cake Smash flavor, released for a Pepsi sweepstakes and later sold online.
An Instagram user criticized the company’s flavor choice, saying “Mtn Dew clearly has not learned that people are done buying overly sweet AI-slop-style drinks.”
A birthday celebration with a sweet motivation
The Mountain Dew collab is not the only way 7-Eleven is celebrating Slurpee’s big day. Select locations in California, New Jersey, Ohio, and Texas are hosting a “Slurpee Date” experience on July 11 (7-11) for couples and friends hoping to ditch formal plans in favor of a casual Slurpee night.
The experience features a photo-op date bench and a limited-edition bedazzled double straw. Love Island Season 6 star JaNa Craig joined the collaboration to inspire easygoing first dates and spontaneous summer hangouts at 7-Eleven.
But don’t worry. Fans who don’t live near one of these select locations can still join the celebration with three commemorative 60th Anniversary Slurpee Day cups and multicolored sugar crystals for birthday flair.
And for customers curious about the special-edition Confetti Chill flavor but not ready to commit, 7-Eleven will continue the annual tradition of a free small slurpee on July 11, available at participating locations nationwide.