Description

Southland Corporation’s chain of 7-Eleven convenience stores is known for proprietary products like the Big Gulp® fountain soft drinks, Big Bite® hot dogs, and Slurpee® beverages, a sweet, semi-frozen, flavored drink. 7-Eleven promoted Slurpees with limited-edition cup designs to appeal to kids and teens and to encourage repeat business. These collectible plastic cups from 1975 feature Marvel comic book characters. The 10 designs in the museum’s collection are from a total of 60 in the series and include Captain America, Red Sonja, Dr. Doom, Daredevil, Iron Fist, Falcon, The Vision, Silver Surfer, Black Panther, and Cyclops. The 12-oz. size predates the popularity of supersized (1.2 liter) drinks.

Omar Knedlik invented a machine to make frozen beverages with a slushy consistency in the late 1950s. In 1965, 7-Eleven began a licensing deal with his brand, the ICEE Company, to sell the same product under a different name. 7-Eleven has been selling Slurpees since 1967.

This plastic Slurpee cup from the 7-Eleven chain of convenience stores was produced in 1975 as one of a series featuring Marvel Comics superheroes. It shows the Daredevil character and this quote: THE BOYS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD USED TO MAKE FUN OF ME, CALLING ME A NAME . . . BUT WHEN I WAS BLINDED BY RADIATION AND GAINED MY SUPER-SENSES, I TOOK THAT NAME FOR MY OWN . . . FOR THUS WAS BORN DAREDEVIL!

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Cultural and Community Life: Entertainment

Food

FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950-2000

Exhibition

Food: Transforming the American Table 1950-2000

Exhibition Location

National Museum of American History

1975

ID Number

2012.0040.04

catalog number

2012.0040.04

accession number

2012.0040

Southland Corporation

subject

Comics

Physical Description

plastic (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 5 in x 3 1/4 in; 12.7 cm x 8.255 cm

National Museum of American History

Object Name

cup