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Need to buy someone a gift but you don’t know exactly what they’d like? Many people rely on an old standby when they want to give someone a present: they give a gift card. Gift cards are a relatively easy way to give someone something. In fact, the two most difficult aspects of giving a gift card are 1) determining the type of gift card, and 2) figuring out how much credit to put on the card.

In our opinion, deciding on the type of gift card you should give is easy. Just about everyone loves soft serve, and there’s nothing better than self serve ice cream from a soft serve machine on a hot summer’s day. So why not give the gift of frozen yogurt or soft serve ice cream in the form of a gift card? Most frozen yogurt or soft serve franchises, and also independently owned shops, offer gift cards in various denominations – which makes this type of gift card a no-brainer for people of all ages.

Frozen Yogurt Gift Cards are Like Putting a Bow Around a Soft Serve Frozen Yogurt Machine!
Here’s a little experiment: The next time you want to give a gift (for any reason), purchase a gift card at a frozen yogurt shop. Put the gift card in an envelope and give it to the recipient. When he or she opens the envelope, pay special attention to his or her facial expression when it’s discovered that the gift card is for FroYo. In almost all cases, the person’s eyes will light up and a smile will quickly form on the recipient’s face.

Frozen yogurt or soft serve makes a great gift for several reasons. First, it’s yummy. Second, it allows a person to use one or several soft serve machines to create an optimal dessert. Third, eating frozen yogurt or soft serve is a social event –  it’s fun. It is a perfect excuse to go out with friends and/or family members for a treat!

A Few Reasons to Give Frozen Yogurt or Soft Serve Gift Cards
You absolutely do not have to wait until somebody’s birthday to give a frozen yogurt or soft serve gift card. Why? Because it would be a shame to wait until a birthday to have the pleasure of operating a soft serve frozen yogurt machine or a soft serve ice cream machine. Other popular occasions that warrant the giving of a gift card include the following: anniversaries, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduation, end of season gift for a soccer, baseball, football or lacrosse team, or  a teacher’s gift at the end of a school year.

You simply can’t go wrong by giving the gift of frozen yogurt and/or soft serve ice cream. After  gift card recipients use the entire balance on the card by filling their cups to the brim with frozen yogurt or soft serve from the shop’s soft serve machines, they will be begging for more!

The Slurpee is related to the ICEE. The ICEE was invented in the mid-1950s by a man who is well-known in the historical world of frozen beverage dispensers. His name was Omar Knedlik. Mr. Knedlik was the original inventor of the frozen beverage equipment that produced the first version of frozen carbonated beverages – which were originally a type of “slushy” but eventually were named the “ICEE.”

In the mid-1960s, the popular convenience store chain, 7-Eleven, entered into an agreement with the ICEE Company to begin offering the frozen carbonated drinks at their store locations. However, the ICEE Company put certain restrictions on 7-Eleven. The rules were: 1) 7-Eleven was not allowed to call the frozen drinks being sold at their stores “ICEEs”, and 2) 7-Eleven was only allowed to sell the drinks in convenience stores located within the United States.

In order to differentiate the drink that would be dispensed from the frozen beverage machines at 7-Eleven from the original ICEE,  the agency creative director for 7-Eleven, whose name was Bob Sanford, came up with the name Slurpee.  He determined this word best described the noise people made when they drank the beverage through a straw. The name caught on, and the rest is history!

One  reason the Slurpee became such a popular beverage over the years, and remains a favorite drink for individuals across the world today, is the fact that 7-Eleven patrons have the ability to self-serve their own Slurpee through the frozen beverage equipment located inside the convenience stores. Because they can self-dispense the drinks, customers are able to take their time selecting their favorite flavors, or they can create their own flavor mixture if they so desire. Also, it’s entertaining for individuals who don’t normally get to operate frozen beverage equipment to dispense their own drinks.

The Slurpee Has a “Cool” History

According to the website MentalFloss.com, following are some interesting facts about the Slurpee and the frozen drink’s history:

• During the Woodstock era, Slurpee cups featured colorful, psychedelic designs.
• The Slurpee is known to give people Brain freeze.
• In the 1970s, 7-Eleven started selling special cups with images of sports stars, comic book characters, early video games, and even rock bands.
• In recent years, Slurpees have come in annual summer movie cups and flavors.
• Special collector’s Slurpee cups have sold on eBay for three times what they originally sold for in the store.
• Every year since 2002, on July 11 (that’s 7/11, of course), the company celebrates its birthday with 7-Eleven Day.
• Most Slurpee flavors are Kosher.
• Many 7-Eleven customers love to mix flavors from multiple frozen beverage dispensers.
• Since the 2000 Presidential election in the United States, the company has run a promotion called “7-Election,” where customers vote by purchasing special red or blue coffee cups printed with each candidate’s name.

There are quite a few margarita machine and soft serve frozen yogurt equipment manufacturers that distribute products around the world. When you have made the decision to add frozen beverage equipment and/or a soft serve machine to your establishment – or if you are planning to open new store that will serve frozen yogurt or soft serve ice cream – it’s important that you do your homework before leasing or purchasing anything. It may be tempting to select a particular machine based on how it looks, its specific aesthetic features, or its price. But before making a decision, it’s important that you understand exactly what you are getting, and how it will serve your needs.

What are the Similarities and Differences?
When shopping for a margarita machine, soft serve frozen yogurt equipment, or frozen beverage equipment, you may initially believe that all of your options are very similar and the only apparent difference is the price. But there are other subtle variations with each and every model. Regardless, a few of the most important factors that should go into your decision making process are whether 1) the machine(s) meets required health and safety standards, 2) the machine has a good warranty, and 3) you will have access to a an extensive network of service providers in your area who know how to help you maintain and repair the type of machine you select.

How to Choose the Right Size Frozen Beverage Dispenser or Soft Serve Machine
The size of margarita machine, frozen beverage dispenser, or soft serve machine you select should depend on exactly how and where you plan to use the equipment. Will you place a margarita machine behind a bar counter? Will your frozen beverage dispenser and/or soft serve machine be self-serve or full-serve? Will your frozen yogurt machine be located in the kitchen area of your restaurant, or will it be out in the open for customers to see? In general there are two types of machines – those that are designed to sit on a counter and those that are designed to stand on the floor. Countertop models are usually smaller than free standing models – but each variety comes more than one size.

Is it better to lease or buy a frozen beverage dispenser and/or frozen yogurt machine?
There are pros and cons to leasing vs. buying a margarita machine, frozen beverage dispenser, or soft serve ice cream machine. Before making a decision, it’s important to consider several factors. For example, are you planning to add a frozen beverage dispenser to an already established business? Or are you opening a new shop and don’t want to commit to purchasing a soft serve ice cream machine until you know for certain that it will be profitable? If you are on the fence about leasing vs. buying your equipment, it’s important to work with a frozen beverage equipment and/or soft serve machine distributer that offers both options.

For more information about the frozen beverage equipment and soft serve ice cream machines distributed by Forte Supply, call one of our local distributors at (888) 610-5520. We are happy to answer all of your questions and help you make the best possible lease or purchase decision.