From Big Buddy to Karuba cups, here's how to navigate Kwik Trip's self-serve drink section
Kwik Trip has a pretty expansive self-serve drink station, offering beverages ranging from milkshakes and slushies to iced coffees and hot Americanos. With so many machines, each with a different use, serving a different drink, it can be pretty easy to get confused on what's what or what cups are used with which machine.
Maybe you just want a simple, traditionally brewed coffee and can't seem to find them amongst the Karuba coffees, or maybe you're feeling adventurous and want to switch up your morning latte flavor but can't seem to find the machine that can do just that.
Regardless of if you're a Kwik Trip regular or you barely visit the chain gas station and convenience store, chances are you haven't used every self-serving drink machine they have.
Here's a list of all the drink machines you can find in any Kwik Trip location and what they do.
Slushie Machine, $1.29-$1.99
The self-serve slushie machines are for those looking for a quick, cold, sweet beverage. While flavors can differ depending on the day and location, customers are able to choose between "Blue Moon Frost," "Lime Chill," "Polar Punch," and "Orange Breeze" flavors. The slushies are made with purchasable gallon juices, which are usually located next to the slushies. Any of the "Buddy" cups can be used for these drinks.
Buddy cup sizes include:
Little Buddy, 20 ounces
Big Buddy, 30 ounces
Best Buddy, 40 ounces
Mega Buddy, 50 ounces
F'Real machine, $3.99
F'real blenders are customer-operated machines used to make frozen treats out of the pre-made cups that accompany the machine. Customers can choose from any of the nine milkshake flavors or three fruit smoothie flavors. Remove the lid, place the 10-ounce cup into the F'real blender, choose the level of thickness you'd like your treat to be and press start. In less than a minute, the machine produces a perfectly blended frozen drink. Flavors include Oreo cookies and cream, strawberry shortcake, fudge brownie batter, Snickers, cotton candy and more. There are over 20,000 F'real machine locations across the U.S. and one can be found in most Kwik Trips.
Fresh Blends machine, $2.49-$3.99
The Fresh Blends machine is another self-serving frozen beverage machine. Customers choose either a 12-, 16- or 20-ounce Fresh Blends cup, place it into the machine and use the touch screen to navigate your drink choice. There are nine drink categories, each with their own flavors. The machine can make fruit smoothies, chocolate shakes, frozen lemonades, frappes, fruit shakes, juice refreshers, cold brew coffee shakes, iced cold brew lattes and iced lemonades. Once you choose your drink and flavor, the machine handles the rest, producing a frozen drink in under a minute and even self-cleaning afterwards.
Karuba Nitro coffee machine, $1.29-$9.99
This coffee machine is specifically for cold brew coffee infused with nitrogen gas. The gas creates small bubbles in the coffee that produces a signature thick and creamy texture. Customers can choose either the regular cold brew flavor or the French vanilla iced latte. Any of the heat-safe Karuba coffee cups can be used for this machine. Karuba cups come in 12-, 16-, 20-, and 24-ounce sizes. A coffee-to-go size, 96 ounces, is also offered.
Bean2Cup machine, $1.29-$9.99
This simple coffee machine is where customers can get quick, freshly brewed hot or iced Karuba coffee. Flavors include house, hazelnut and Columbian for both hot and iced coffees. Simply choose your Karuba cup size, place it under the drink dispenser and use the touchscreen on the machine to choose which coffee you'd like to enjoy.
Drip coffee machine, $1.29-$9.99
These are traditionally brewed coffees out of a drip coffee machine. While flavors differ depending on the day and season, customers can usually choose from the house blend, Columbian or Kona dark roast. This season's limited time flavor is toasted coconut caramel cream. Choose your drink size, pick your hot coffee of choice and dispense it into your heat-safe Karuba cup. Sugars, syrups, chilled and regular creamers are provided for no extra costs for customization.
Cappuccino and hot cocoa machine, $1.29-$1.79
This machine is for customers looking for a quick, hot and sweet drink. The cappuccino flavors differ depending on the day and location but customers can usually choose from white chocolate caramel, French vanilla, English toffee and more. The machine usually has an option for hot cocoa as well. Choose a heat-safe cup of any size, place it under whichever flavor you'd like and press and hold the button to dispense the drink.
Karuba Gold machine, $1.29-$9.99
The Karuba gold machine is used to make various flavored lattes, mochas, Americanos and hot chocolate, either hot or iced. Customers can add vanilla or caramel to any of the lattes, mochas and Americanos as well as steamed milk with the push of a button. Choose the appropriate Karuba cup and size of your choice, place it under the drink dispenser and use the touch screen to navigate what drink and flavor you would like.
Tea Brewers, $1.29-$1.99
Customers can choose a heat-safe Karuba cup of choice and any of the individual tea bags offered. Simply dispense the hot water into the cup and steep your tea bag. Sugars and other drink additions are available for no cost for customization.
Fountain drink machine, $1.29-$1.99
This is where customers can find the usual sodas and beverages that are not canned or bottled. Kwik Trip carries Pepsi and Coke products in its soda machines, meaning customers can choose from Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, 7UP, Mountain Dew, Coke, Arizona Arnold Palmer, Brisk tea and similar drinks. Some machines even offer flavor shots that can be added to drinks for extra taste. Use any of the "Buddy" drink cups and fill it up with your beverage of choice.
Reach Jelissa Burns at 920-453-5107 or jburns1@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @burns_jelissa or on Instagram at burns_jelissa.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Navigating Kwik Trip's self-serving drink section
