The Hidden Easter Egg You’ll Find in All Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa Kwik Trips
I have been shopping at Kwik Trip for nearly 2-decades and I didn't know about the hidden easter egg they have in each of their stores in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa until yesterday! (They're called Kwik Stars in Iowa, but they're the same thing.)
If you don't know an "easter egg" is a hidden feature usually found in video games or movies that is included as a nod to superfans. Sometimes they are inside jokes, sometimes they are used to tease a sequel, and sometimes they are used to recognize a past storyline.
How Many Kwik Trips Are There in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa?
Kwik Trip has over 800 stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa and a very loyal customer base, but I'm willing to bet most of those superfans don't know about what's hiding in each store.
I'm at Kwik Trip practically everyday so I'd consider myself a superfan, but I never knew about the "easter egg." It's very small and most would never know about it unless they knew where to look for it.
I only learned about it because I recently got to tour their headquarters.
Now, If you ever get the chance to take the tour, you should. Kwik Trip's massive campus is super impressive and is home to one of the largest bakeries in the entire world.
Kwik Trip makes all of its bread, donuts, cookies, sandwiches, etc. at the facility and sends fresh truckloads to each of its stores daily. They also bottle their milk and make their own ice cream in La Crosse.
Did you know that Kwik Trip was recently recognized as the best gas station in America?
Fresh food and great prices are a couple of reasons why people are willing to drive past other convenience stores to find a Kwik Trip.
But, I think the main reason people love KT so much is their fantastic customer service and that starts at the top.
Don Zietlow founded Kwik Trip many years ago and has always made employee satisfaction one of his top priorities. The company has an amazing profit sharing plan and Don treats each one like family. Zietlow knew from the beginning that if he took care of his team they would take care of their customers.
Don often signs notes to his employees, or co-workers as he refers to them, with a smiley face and a note that reminds them that life is good.
The smiley faces have become so iconic inside the company that there is artwork showcasing his doodles throughout the company's headquarters.
This story isn't about how awesome Kwik Trip is though - everyone already knows that.
It's about what you'll find hiding inside every single Kwik Trips. You've probably never noticed it, but I bet the next time you're at a Kwik Trip you'll look for it.
The tiny hidden item is located in the dairy cooler.
Hidden on the bottom of every gallon and half gallon of Nature's Touch milk is Don's smiley face.
Kwik Trip is able to add the face because they make their own milk jugs at their La Crosse facility.
Take a look at the top left corner of the jug below and you'll see it.