7-Eleven rolls out iced coffee for 99 cents

7-Eleven has joined the parade of chains hoping to grab a slice of the coffee market from Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts with a new recession-busting cup of iced coffee.

The convenience store’s small iced coffee (16 oz.) is 99 cents and comes in mocha and French vanilla. It’s dispensed pre-mixed from a “fill and chill” machine that advises buyers to “not forget the ice!”

This was the first iced coffee I’ve made outside of my own house, and the warning made me wonder whether it was the average customer’s first iced coffee ever. The ice comes from the adjacent soda machine. I put in close to a half a cup of ice, not knowing how cold the coffee mixture would be, but I think about one-third of a cup is a better place to start.

I had an iced coffee and was back in my car in just over two minutes — that includes some internal debate over which flavor to pick, as well as finding the machine. So, one point for 7-Eleven: It is convenient.