For gas station hot chocolate, you need a Maverik

By Amanda Mears

October 31, 2008 | Ideally, I would love to make a daily morning run to Starbucks to pick up a hot chocolate once temperatures dip below freezing. Unfortunately, at $3.95 for an 18 ounce cup, this is not a luxury I can afford. So, instead of sipping a steaming hot chocolate whipped with love and sprinkled with joy, I prefer to stop at the gas station on my way to class and purchase a hot chocolate made by yours truly. With a myriad of gas stations placed conveniently at every corner I pass on the drive to campus, I have taken it upon myself to see where I can get the biggest bang for my buck.

First stop, the 7-Eleven at 405 N. Main St. The first things I spot on my way to the brewing machine are cups proudly declaring either "McCain" or "Obama." Declaring yourself either Republican or Democrat has become alarmingly trendy this voting season, so I am pleased to find one more way to show my support. The "Obamarama" T-shirt, "Obama for yo momma" key chain, "Barack and roll" pin and "Obama-Biden" bumper sticker weren't quite enough, anyway. However, I am met with some resistance upon discovering that the hot chocolate making machine is currently leaking a powdery substance and thus deemed "out of order."

I press on to the next 7-Eleven, conveniently located 10 blocks north. Once there, I am happy to see the machine in full working order. I grab a cup and press the button labeled "Hershey's Kisses Hot Chocolate." Fancy, but can it live up to its eloquent name? After filling my cup three-fourths full, I turn to the condiments table. For those of us who are frequent gas station coffee and hot chocolate connoisseurs, we know that condiments can make or break the beverage. Luckily, there is every imaginable flavor, from hazelnut to caramel, to perk up my 7-11 hot chocolate. I pump one squirt of vanilla into my steaming cup and snap the cap on.

The best part comes when I reach the cash register and discover that my 16 ounce cup will only cost $1.39. Although I later find out that this is on the pricier end as far as gas station hot chocolate goes, it's a steal of a deal compared to Starbucks. After the hot chocolate cooled down from 1,000 degrees to a mere 500 I took a sip and found that the flavor tasted like a weak version of powdered hot chocolate. The bland beverage tasted reminiscent of plastic and has a watered down aftertaste that is helped only slightly by the vanilla flavoring. Disappointing, to say the least.

Next I head to Chevron, at 398 N. Main St., to check out what they have to offer. A little less spacious and organized than 7-11, the Chevron is missing one very essential thing: political cups. So I grab a standard Styrofoam coffee cup and fill it up. After burning off 90 percent of my taste buds at the last stop, I wise up and put a few ice cubes in the bottom of the cup before dispensing the hot chocolate. Although the picture on the front of the machine depicts a frothy-topped, dark chocolate beverage, what comes out is more of a watery light brown. Above the machine I spot a container full of marshmallows and my heart leaps for joy. However, when I pour them generously in my 12 ounce cup I can see that they have probably been sitting there since the Chevron opened. This suspicion is confirmed when I take my first sip - the putrid taste of stale sugar and something mildly fruity fills my mouth. I consider taking another sip only to wash the watery aftertaste out of my mouth. The taste of this beverage does not even remotely resemble hot chocolate and I consider tossing in the trash as soon as I exit the gas station. At least it was only 89 cents.

Finally, I make my last stop at Maverik, at 1190 S. Hwy. 165. This time I wearily head straight for the machine emblazoned with a tacky "Cappuccino" slogan on the front and fill up my cup with hot chocolate. Ready to be done with this experiment, I skip any flavoring and head to the register. On the way I see a sign proclaiming "Any hot beverage 99 cents!" This, at least, is a good start. As I take my first sip of this hot chocolate, my faith is restored in gas stations across America. It's thick, creamy and actually tastes like chocolate was melted right in. In fact, I could see this cheap alternative replacing Starbucks on cold winter morning when I am running low on cash.

Overall, 7-11 may win for packaging, but Maverick is the clear winner as far as taste goes. In fact, this is genuinely the only hot chocolate I would ever buy from a gas station again in the future and was the best deal money-wise.

NW
MS