f’REAL They’re Popular on Campus

If you are dying for a cold one while on campus, head over to the Campion C-store. With the freezer set at -20 degrees Fahrenheit, this refresher is sure to be as cold as the Rockies.

“That’s what most of the kids who come in here buy,” said Charlotte Riddell, who works the C-store on weekends. Riddell had to reset the machine’s alarm Saturday night because the freezer was empty, having almost sold out.

Between the Burt’s Bees display and festive gift wrap rack lies the popular newcomer to the Campion C-store. The blinking blue and green lights of the f’REAL milkshake machine have attracted the likes of many on campus. With flavors such as Strawberry, Caramel Bliss, Cookies n’ Cream, Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry Banana, Cookie Dough, and Frozen Cappuccino, it is easy to see why the machine has become so popular.

“That’s what students wanted, so I brought it to Aramark and pushed to get it. We looked into the f’REAL milkshakes after seeing them at the local Wawa’s,” said Brendan Bryant ’12, Chair for the Dining Services Committee on the University Student Senate, who has weekly meetings with Aramark.

The full milkshake experience includes a person first choosing a flavor. They then insert their milkshake into the mixing machine. They select from either the extra, regular, or less thick setting. The machine takes the milkshake up into the machine, mixes it, and brings it back down, ready to be enjoyed.

At $2.99, these milkshakes are fifty cents more expensive than those at Wawa, but people will pay for convenience, especially when the mercury rises.

“They probably sell over a hundred a day in the hot months,” said Bryant, whose favorite part of the milkshake buying experience is that he gets to select the thickness of his shake.

St. Joe’s is not alone in adding the f’REAL milkshakes to campus. According to the f’REAL website, Drexel, Villanova, Haverford College, Rosemont College, Temple, and Rowan all have the milkshakes on campus.

“I stop in and grab one after I take a big test and I think I did well. I grab one to treat myself,” said Gabe Montemuro ’12, whose favorite flavor is Cookies n’ Cream.