Soon you can grab a quick late-night snack from a convenience store that’s actually fresh and super satisfying. 7-Eleven just confirmed that they are bringing several of their internet-famous Japanese-style snacks to select stores in the United States. And many are getting very excited about this “convenience store food.”
Heading to a local 7-Eleven for dinner might not sound super appealing for many, but in Japan and across Asia, it’s a common trend. That’s because the Japanese convenience stores, called kombini, serve up a selection of super fresh and innovative food and beverages. The practice of grabbing dinner at a Japanese 7-Eleven has become so popular online that often tired foreign travelers will head to a 7-Eleven straight from the airport.
7-Eleven stores in the U.S. are famous for their ice-cold Slurpees and hot dogs on rolling grills. But Asian 7-Eleven shops are an altogether different thing. There are countless TikToks featuring 7-Eleven stores across Asia and their delicious and unexpected snacks that are available 24/7. Some of the more popular snacks include onigiri (triangle-shaped rice balls), sushi, instant ramen, fruit-filled sandwiches, fried chicken, and red bean-filled mochi and pancakes. Plus, there’s usually an array of hot bar items on offer.
And the most famous 7-Eleven snack is without a doubt the cult-status fluffy egg salad sandwich. The smooth egg salad is made with special Japanese mayonnaise and served on triangles of slightly sweet Japanese milk bread. Even Anthony Bourdain was a major fan of the simple “egg salad sando.”
Part of the reason for the fresh food in Asian 7-Eleven stores is the frequency of food shipments. Many 7-Eleven shops across Asia get multiple fresh food deliveries per day versus in the United States where stores typically only receive one or two deliveries per week.
Some of the new snacks coming to 7-Eleven shops in the U.S. include:
- Chicken teriyaki rice balls
- Miso ramen
- Sweet chile crips wings
- Mangonada donuts with Tajin
- Barbecue pork sliders
- Chicken curry bowls
- Everything breakfast sandwiches
Keep an eye out for these delicious new snacks hopefully coming soon to a 7-Eleven near you. You can travel to Tokyo without ever leaving California!