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I know that there's been rumblings of 7/11 in the USA spinning up more food options with an eye to how things are done by its parent in Japan, but it really can

I know that there's been rumblings of 7/11 in the USA spinning up more food options with an eye to how things are done by its parent in Japan, but it really can't come soon enough. Get a move on! 7/11 in Japan with its onigiri is amazing and I'm desperate for these style of convenience stores with their options to make their way over here to USA and Canada.

teractiveodular 2y ago
7/11 in Australia, which is generally terrible but was acquired by the Japanese operator of 7/11 last year, recently rolled out onigiris nationwide after a successful trial in Victoria. So there's hope yet!
- scelerat 2y ago
  How are they? I'm in California -- I love the konbinis in Japan, and while 7-Eleven's recent announcements to offer more konbini-like food and experience sounds great, I fear it's going to fall far short of the mark because I think it's a combination of ingredients, supply chain, and employee processes and practices. Like, all those things need to be on point to deliver a quality onigiri or egg salad sandwich, and I don't have a whole lot of confidence in the US-based 7-Elevens to deliver without massive changes. (And to be clear, I don't think there has been any mention of onigiri appearing at US-based 7-Eleven, they have have announced better/different prepared sandwich offerings)
  - pknomad 2y ago
    > I fear it's going to fall far short of the mark because I think it's a combination of ingredients, supply chain, and employee processes and practices Same here as well. Part of the charm of konbinis (and Japan to an extent) is the friendly atmosphere. Foods are fresh (delivered daily and inventory churn is consumer friendly) and people working at these places (despite being not high-paying) have higher level of care of how customers are treated. 7-11 here by comparison are... definitely not that.
rootsudo 2y ago
Would you pay $6.99 for a onigiri? Sure they're ~120 JPY-240JPY. But it wouldn't be the same price. Plus would they really sell them in the USA? Same for more of the other options, I don't see it really happening. There's a reason hotdogs, nachos and whatever else they offer in USA is the norm. That's what the market takes and settles on and even then, it's over $5.
- lbotos 2y ago
  Uh, I buy Onigiri in NYC at Dainobu and I'm pretty sure it's $2.99 MAX $4.99. I think in many metros they could have a market esp if they did some sort of anime tie in.
  - 93po 2y ago
    good god that's expensive for a ball of rice and a spoonful of protein. when i went to japan a few years ago they were like $1.50 each. I would eat like 6 a day at that price (and sometimes did when there)
    - rootsudo 2y ago
      Me too, thats why I'm shocked - I don't see the average american eating rice as a meal/snack and two, paying 5+ or the benefit. But then again there are alternatives, e.g. Chipotole which I think is the only mainstream popular segment of rice in a meal to taco bell.
- Tiktaalik 2y ago
  Honestly even at this high price point I’d still be saving money from current lunch options. That’s how bad food inflation has been. It’s challenging at this point to get a lunch cheaper than C$15.
  - j7ake 2y ago
    A typical American won’t be satisfied on the calories of one onigiri for lunch.

teractiveodular 2y ago

7/11 in Australia, which is generally terrible but was acquired by the Japanese operator of 7/11 last year, recently rolled out onigiris nationwide after a successful trial in Victoria. So there's hope yet!

scelerat 2y ago
How are they? I'm in California -- I love the konbinis in Japan, and while 7-Eleven's recent announcements to offer more konbini-like food and experience sounds great, I fear it's going to fall far short of the mark because I think it's a combination of ingredients, supply chain, and employee processes and practices. Like, all those things need to be on point to deliver a quality onigiri or egg salad sandwich, and I don't have a whole lot of confidence in the US-based 7-Elevens to deliver without massive changes. (And to be clear, I don't think there has been any mention of onigiri appearing at US-based 7-Eleven, they have have announced better/different prepared sandwich offerings)
- pknomad 2y ago
  > I fear it's going to fall far short of the mark because I think it's a combination of ingredients, supply chain, and employee processes and practices Same here as well. Part of the charm of konbinis (and Japan to an extent) is the friendly atmosphere. Foods are fresh (delivered daily and inventory churn is consumer friendly) and people working at these places (despite being not high-paying) have higher level of care of how customers are treated. 7-11 here by comparison are... definitely not that.

rootsudo 2y ago

Would you pay $6.99 for a onigiri? Sure they're ~120 JPY-240JPY. But it wouldn't be the same price. Plus would they really sell them in the USA? Same for more of the other options, I don't see it really happening. There's a reason hotdogs, nachos and whatever else they offer in USA is the norm. That's what the market takes and settles on and even then, it's over $5.

lbotos 2y ago
Uh, I buy Onigiri in NYC at Dainobu and I'm pretty sure it's $2.99 MAX $4.99. I think in many metros they could have a market esp if they did some sort of anime tie in.
- 93po 2y ago
  good god that's expensive for a ball of rice and a spoonful of protein. when i went to japan a few years ago they were like $1.50 each. I would eat like 6 a day at that price (and sometimes did when there)
  - rootsudo 2y ago
    Me too, thats why I'm shocked - I don't see the average american eating rice as a meal/snack and two, paying 5+ or the benefit. But then again there are alternatives, e.g. Chipotole which I think is the only mainstream popular segment of rice in a meal to taco bell.
Tiktaalik 2y ago
Honestly even at this high price point I’d still be saving money from current lunch options. That’s how bad food inflation has been. It’s challenging at this point to get a lunch cheaper than C$15.
- j7ake 2y ago
  A typical American won’t be satisfied on the calories of one onigiri for lunch.