Tropical Smoothie is the upcoming hotspot for tasty food and refreshing drinks. Latrobe residents have been buzzing with anticipation this past month as the days counted down to the opening on February 2. The new Tropical Smoothie is located at 5793 PA-981, Latrobe, PA 15650.
Although the business has been open for a few weeks now, the Chambers has decided to host a grand opening. At the grand opening, the company reined in a vast flow of customers all day after selling smoothies for $2.99, a significant discount compared to the regular price of smoothies which ranges from $6-$8.
With the opening of Tropical Smoothie, Greater Latrobe High School students showed an interest in employment. The company was hiring regular employee positions, such as Sara Blossey and Gracie Mahanes, and shift leader positions, such as Sammy Pedicone.
Sammy Pedicone said, “A shift leader’s job is simply to take on the more difficult tasks and ensure everything is running smoothly. I got offered the position during my interview and taking the opportunity was definitely worth it.”
Sammy’s previous work as a lifeguard at the Latrobe pool, as well as her impressive interview, led her to be offered a position as a shift leader.
As a junior, Sammy wants to broaden her horizons before going off to college. She believed that a good start to doing this would be by getting a part-time job to go to some days after school. Between school and lacrosse practice, Sammy has quite a jam-packed schedule. However, this didn’t stop her from looking for a new job opportunity at Tropical Smoothie to gain some important work experience.
Sammy initiated her training at the new Tropical Smoothie location prior to its official opening. The franchise holds a distinct appeal for students seeking an after-school job opportunity. According to Sammy’s friend and Tropical Smoothie colleague, Maria Angelicchio says that one of the perks she enjoys most of working there is the employee discount.
Maria said, “We get 50% off all food and drinks while on shift, then 20% off when we aren’t working. We also get one free smoothie every shift.”
At Tropical Smoothie, there are dozens of smoothie flavors to choose from. They have spinach and veggie smoothies, smoothies with chocolate, and many fruit smoothies.
Tropical Smoothie offers a variety of other healthy food options such as wraps, flatbreads, and brand-new yogurt bowls.
Smoothie bowls are one of Sammy’s favorite things to make. She says, “The bowl-making process is very similar to the process of making a regular smoothie. We use an assembly line and have all the recipes in front of us.”
Community members anticipate a drive-through at the new Tropical Smoothie like the Subway which had been there prior. To compensate for the timely aspect of a drive-through, the new location accepts online orders that can be conveniently placed through their app, aiming to provide a favorable alternative. Additionally, the convenience of DoorDash orders has become highly popular among customers who would prefer smoothies to be brought directly to themselves.
Sammy said, “We get so many DoorDash orders; it’s pretty hard to keep up with at times especially when the inside is also super busy.”
To handle the incredibly high demand, employees are organized productively into an assembly line to swiftly prepare all orders and make the best use of their time. Customers often find the smoothie-making process intriguing to watch.
Sammy says, “We make our smoothies right in front of our guests and the process is pretty simple. We have recipes for all of our smoothies in front of us so that we know exactly how to make them and can make sure that each smoothie tastes as good as the last.”
Tropical Smoothie prides itself on its fresh and organic ingredients. Their website states, “We make eating better easy breezy with fresh, made-to-order smoothies, wraps, sandwiches and flatbreads that instantly boost your mood.”
Sammy explains, “Everything we make is super fresh and nothing is pre-made or even fried. We are also extremely careful and keep in mind people with nut allergies. We always want to be sure to separate all foods and smoothies that contain nuts.”
Since working at Tropical Smoothie for only a short time, Sammy reflects on the past few weeks by saying, “My favorite part about my job is working with people I know. Everyone is super sweet and is always willing to help out.”
Tropical Smoothie
Hours: 7 am-9 pm
Location: 5793 PA-981, Latrobe, PA
App: Tropical Smoothie Cafe
