7-Eleven facts for kids
Logo since 2021
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Formerly
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| Division | |
| Industry | Retail (convenience stores) Franchising |
| Founded | 1927 (as Southland Ice Company) |
| Founder | Joe C. Thompson |
| Headquarters | 3200 Hackberry Road,
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United States
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Number of locations
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85,000 stores (2024) |
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Area served
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Key people
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| Products | Convenience foods and beverages, gasoline |
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Number of employees
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135,332 (2021) |
| Parent | Seven-Eleven Japan |
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7-Eleven, Inc. is a well-known American chain of convenience stores. Its main office is in Irving, Texas. The company is fully owned by Seven-Eleven Japan, which is part of a larger retail group called Seven & I Holdings.
The company started in 1927 as the Southland Ice Company. It began by selling ice from a small shop in Dallas. Over time, these shops grew and were called Tote'm Stores from 1928 to 1946. In 1946, the company changed the name to 7-Eleven. This new name showed that the stores were open longer, from 7 AM to 11 PM.
7-Eleven began letting other people open stores using its name (this is called franchising) in 1961. Today, 7-Eleven runs, franchises, and licenses about 85,000 stores. These stores are located in 20 different countries and areas around the world. In the United States, 7-Eleven also operates stores under the names Speedway and Stripes Convenience Stores.
What's in a Name?
The first stores in Dallas were called "Tote'm Stores." This name came from the idea that customers "toted" (carried) their purchases away. Some stores even had "native" totem poles outside.
In 1946, the name changed to "7-11." This was to show the stores' new, longer hours: 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM, every day of the week. Later, in 1999, the main company in the US changed its name from "The Southland Corporation" to "7-Eleven Inc."
Since 1968, the 7-Eleven logo has used a small letter n. The wife of John P. Thompson Sr., who was the company's president in the 1960s, thought the all-capital letters looked too strong. She suggested the change to make the logo look "more graceful."
Company Journey
In 1927, an employee named John Jefferson Green started selling eggs, milk, and bread from 16 ice house shops in Dallas. He had permission from Joe C. Thompson Sr., one of the company's founders. Thompson believed that selling these basic items in small, convenient stores would help customers. He later bought the Southland Ice Company and turned it into the Southland Corporation.
In 1928, a manager placed a totem pole from Alaska in front of her store. This pole attracted a lot of attention and became a marketing tool. Soon, all stores had totem poles and were called "Tote'm Stores." The company also started adding filling stations to some Dallas locations.
The Great Depression in 1931 made things tough for the company, almost leading to bankruptcy. However, it managed to keep going. In 1946, to help with recovery after World War II, the name changed to 7-Eleven. This reflected the new hours, 7 AM to 11 PM. In 1963, a 7-Eleven store in Austin, Texas, stayed open all night to meet customer needs. This led to more 24-hour stores in other cities.
In the late 1980s, the Southland Corporation faced financial challenges. To help with this, the company sold off some of its other businesses. In 1990, the Japanese company Ito-Yokado took control of 70% of Southland Corp. Southland came out of bankruptcy in 1991 with help from Ito-Yokado and Seven-Eleven Japan. In 1999, Southland Corp. changed its name to 7-Eleven, Inc. By 2005, Seven-Eleven Japan fully owned 7-Eleven, Inc.
In 2010, 7-Eleven was ranked No. 3 in Entrepreneur magazine's list of top franchises. In 2020, 7-Eleven announced it would buy Speedway for $21 billion. This deal was completed in May 2021. In 2021, 7-Eleven launched a large advertising campaign to show that its stores offer more than just gas station food, including "restaurant quality food."
In early 2024, 7-Eleven's parent company, Seven & i Holdings, announced changes for US stores. They plan to focus more on fresh foods instead of mainly gasoline and cigarettes. They also want to add more hot and cold food options and baked goods to Speedway and Stripes stores.
Products and Services
In the United States, 7-Eleven is famous for its Slurpee drinks, which are partially frozen soft drinks first sold in 1965. They also offer Big Gulp beverages, introduced in 1976. Other products include:
- 7-Select brand items
- Coffee
- Freshly made sandwiches, salads, and bakery items
- Hot foods
- Gasoline
- Dairy products, drinks, and juices
- Donuts
- Financial services
- Product delivery services
7-Eleven is known for its large drink sizes and being open 24 hours a day. For example, the Team Gulp can hold up to 128 ounces (about 3.8 liters) of drink. In 2012, the Double Gulp size was changed from 64 ounces to 50 ounces so it would fit better in car cup holders. In February 2020, 7-Eleven opened a store at its headquarters in Irving, Texas, where customers can shop without a cashier.
By early 2024, 7-Eleven had started adding electric vehicle charging stations at some locations. They plan to expand this network, called 7Charge, to many more stores.
Global Operations
7-Eleven has stores all over the world. Here's a look at some of its global operations:
Asia
Cambodia
The first 7-Eleven store in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, opened on August 30, 2021. The company plans to open many more stores there. At least half of the products sold in Cambodian 7-Eleven stores will come from local small businesses.
China
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7-Eleven opened its first store in China in 1992 in Shenzhen. It has since expanded to many other major cities like Beijing and Shanghai. In China, Slurpees are called "sīlèbīng." Stores also offer a variety of warm foods, including traditional items like steamed buns and onigiri (rice balls). Most of these stores are open 24 hours a day. As of September 2021, there were 2,582 7-Eleven stores in mainland China.
Hong Kong
7-Eleven first opened in Hong Kong in 1981. It is now run by the DFI Retail Group. People in Hong Kong often call it Tsat¹-zai² (meaning "little seven"). As of 2012, Hong Kong had 964 7-Eleven stores. Hong Kong is said to have the second-highest number of 7-Eleven stores in a small area, after Macau. All 7-Eleven stores in Hong Kong accept the Octopus card for payments and even for utility bills.
In 2009, a 7-Eleven in Quarry Bay opened with a hot food counter called "7 Café." It sells traditional Hong Kong street food and milk tea. This feature has been added to other stores too.
India
On October 7, 2021, Reliance Retail announced it would partner with 7-Eleven to open stores in India. The first store in India opened in Mumbai on October 9, 2021. Currently, 7-Eleven stores are available in cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Thane.
Japan
Japan has the most 7-Eleven stores in the world. Out of over 85,000 stores globally, 21,668 are in Japan. Japanese 7-Eleven stores offer a very wide range of products and services. They are also popular with tourists because their Seven Bank automated teller machines (ATMs) accept foreign debit and credit cards for withdrawing Japanese yen.
Many 7-Eleven stores in Japan use solar panels and LED lights to be more environmentally friendly. In July 2019, 7-Eleven launched a mobile payment service called 7pay, but it was quickly stopped due to a hacking issue.
Laos
The first 7-Eleven in Laos opened on September 7, 2023, in Vientiane. This was part of a 30-year agreement between 7-Eleven and Thailand's CP Group.
Macau
7-Eleven came to Macau in 2005. Macau is a very small area, but it has 45 7-Eleven stores.
Malaysia
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Malaysian 7-Eleven stores are owned by 7-Eleven Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. They operate 3,225 stores across the country. The first store opened in October 1984 in Kuala Lumpur.
Philippines
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In the Philippines, 7-Eleven is run by the Philippine Seven Corporation (PSC). The first store opened on February 29, 1984. In 2000, a Taiwanese company, President Chain Store Corporation (PCSC), bought most of PSC's shares.
7-Eleven stores in the Philippines have expanded beyond the main island of Luzon to cities like Cebu City and Davao City. In February 2020, 7-Eleven partnered with GCash, a mobile wallet, to allow customers to pay using their phones. On October 15, 2024, 7-Eleven Philippines opened its 4,000th store.
Singapore
Singapore has the largest chain of convenience stores on the island, with 393 7-Eleven stores as of February 2018. The first store opened in June 1983. The stores are operated by DFI Retail Group. From 2006 to 2017, many Shell gas station stores were also rebranded as 7-Eleven.
South Korea
7-Eleven has a big presence in South Korea, with 11,067 stores. Only Japan and Thailand have more. The first store opened in May 1989. In 2010, the Lotte Group bought another convenience store chain and changed its 1,000 stores to 7-Eleven. In 2022, Lotte also bought Ministop Korea and is converting those stores to 7-Eleven.
Taiwan
7-Eleven is the biggest convenience store chain in Taiwan. It is owned by President Chain Store Corporation (PCSC). The first stores opened in 1979. In 1986, 7-Eleven in Taiwan made its first profit after starting to sell more Asian foods. The 7,000th store opened on July 5, 2024.
In the early 2000s, 7-Eleven in Taiwan introduced a cartoon mascot named Open-Chan. He is an alien dog who quickly became very popular with children in Taiwan. This unique convenience store culture has become an important part of Taiwanese culture.
Thailand
The first 7-Eleven in Thailand opened on June 1, 1989, in Bangkok. CP All Public Company Limited owns and franchises 7-Eleven in Thailand. As of 2022, there are 13,838 stores in Thailand. Thailand has the second-largest number of 7-Eleven stores after Japan.
To help reduce plastic pollution, 7-Eleven in Thailand announced in 2018 that it would reduce and eventually stop using single-use plastic bags. As of January 2020, 7-Eleven and many other Thai retailers stopped giving out single-use plastic bags.
United Arab Emirates
The first 7-Eleven store in the Middle East opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in October 2015. However, 7-Eleven has since closed its stores in Dubai.
Vietnam
The first 7-Eleven store in Vietnam opened on June 15, 2017. This made Vietnam the 17th country to have the convenience store chain.
Australia
The first 7-Eleven in Australia opened on August 24, 1977, in Melbourne. Most stores are in cities. Many stores also operate as petrol stations. In April 2014, 7-Eleven planned to open stores in Western Australia, with the first one opening in Fremantle on October 30, 2014. As of January 2018, Australia had 675 stores.
In December 2023, Seven & i Holdings of Japan bought the Australian 7-Eleven franchise for A$1.71 billion. This purchase was completed in April 2024.
Fair Pay Efforts
In 2015, there were reports that some 7-Eleven stores in Australia were not paying their employees correctly. The company worked to fix these issues. An independent group was set up to investigate, and 7-Eleven committed to making sure workers received fair pay. The company paid a large amount to workers who had been underpaid. In 2022, 7-Eleven also reached an agreement to pay A$98 million to store owners who felt they had been given wrong information about how profitable their stores would be. The company continues to work on ensuring fair practices for both employees and store owners.
Europe
Denmark
The first 7-Eleven store in Denmark opened in Copenhagen on September 14, 1993. There are 185 stores, mostly in big cities like Copenhagen and Aarhus. In Denmark, 7-Eleven partners with Shell for gas stations and with the railway company DSB for stores at train stations.
In 2022, 7-Eleven in Denmark faced a computer attack that caused all stores to close temporarily. No customer information was stolen during this attack.
Norway
7-Eleven has been in Norway since September 13, 1986. In 2004, a Norwegian company called Reitan Convenience bought the rights to use the 7-Eleven brand in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Since then, the number of stores in Scandinavia has grown a lot.
Sweden
7-Eleven came to Sweden in March 1984. Reitan acquired the brand rights after 1997 and now has almost 200 stores across Sweden. In May 2024, Reitan announced that its Swedish stores, including 7-Eleven, would stop selling cigarettes by 2026.
United Kingdom
During the 1980s, 7-Eleven stores were in London and Southeast England. The first store opened in 1985. The United Kingdom had 57 7-Eleven stores when they were sold in 1997. The company has announced plans to return to the UK market, but no new stores have opened as of October 2022.
North America
Canada
The first 7-Eleven store in Canada opened in Calgary, Alberta, on June 29, 1969. As of December 2022, there are 562 7-Eleven stores in Canada. Winnipeg, Manitoba, is known for having the most Slurpee drinkers in the world. Like in the U.S., Canadian stores offer free Slurpees on "7-Eleven Day" every July 11.
Some 7-Eleven locations in Canada also have gas stations from Shell, Petro-Canada, or Esso. In March 2016, 7-Eleven bought 148 Esso gas stations in Alberta and British Columbia. Most of these stores were changed to 7-Eleven stores.
Mexico
In Mexico, the first 7-Eleven store opened in 1976 in Monterrey. It was first called Super 7, but in 1995, it was renamed 7-Eleven. There are now 1,835 stores in Mexico. When stores are in historic buildings, their logo is often shown in gold or silver without color.
United States
As of 2013, there are 8,144 7-Eleven franchised stores across the United States. The main office for 7-Eleven America is in Irving, Texas. Small Slurpees are free on "7-Eleven Day," which is July 11. This tradition became popular on July 11, 2008. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, free Slurpees were offered through the 7Rewards app instead.
In March 2020, 7-Eleven, Inc. bought over 100 independently run 7-Eleven stores in Oklahoma. These stores were then fully connected to the national 7-Eleven brand and programs. In April 2021, 7-Eleven launched an ad campaign with the slogan "Take it to Eleven." This phrase was inspired by the movie This is Spinal Tap.
In August 2022, 7-Eleven bought Skipcart, a company that delivers products on the same day.
Fuel
In the U.S., many 7-Eleven locations have gas stations. While Citgo used to be the main partner, 7-Eleven now works with many different oil companies like Exxon, Mobil, Gulf, and Marathon. Some 7-Eleven locations also sell fuel under the 7-Eleven brand name.
7-Eleven has its own fuel network for businesses and truck drivers called 7 Fleet. This network is designed to compete with other large truck stop chains. On August 2, 2020, Seven & i Holdings announced it would buy Speedway LLC for $21 billion. This deal was completed in May 2021. After the purchase, 7-Eleven had to sell 293 stores in 20 states to other companies to meet government rules.
South America
Brazil
In the 1990s, 7-Eleven had 17 stores in São Paulo, Brazil. However, all of them closed because of strong competition from other stores.
See also
In Spanish: 7-Eleven para niños
- List of convenience stores
- UtoteM
- R-kioski
