7-Eleven - Around The World - North America - United States

United States

7-Eleven currently has more than 8,200 owned, operated and franchised stores in the United States — almost all as franchises.

Once ubiquitous, 7-Eleven stores are no longer found in some Midwestern and Southeastern states. In May 1998, it was announced that 113 7-Eleven stores would be sold and converted into Kum & Go stores. In this same time frame, 7-Eleven exited the Minnesota market and sold all its Minnesota stores to SuperAmerica. This led to situations, especially in larger cities like Minneapolis and Saint Paul, where multiple SuperAmerica locations could be found on the same intersection. In states like Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, other convenience stores like Holiday Station Stores, SuperAmerica, QuikTrip, Kwik Trip, Casey's, and Speedway occupy the same market.

The only independently owned 7-Eleven stores are located in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma metropolitan area. About 125 stores are owned by the family of William C. Brown (currently run by son Jim Brown) under special arrangement with the company since 1953. William C. Brown's father was a business associate and family friend of John Thompson. "Bill" had recently graduated from the University of Notre Dame and struck out on a quest to find an area "ripe" for the concept. During his travels he met the Tulsa based QuikTrip chain owner who suggested Oklahoma City to Brown. Narrowing down the choices he decided upon Oklahoma and opened store No.1 at NW 23rd & N. Portland Avenue in Oklahoma City. At their inception the Thompson family were part owners of the Oklahoma City 7-Eleven stores but never the Corporation. Brown would work a shift at the original store and afterwards would scout new locations to build. The "Oh Thank Heaven for 7-Eleven" phrase was coined by the Stanford Agency the in-house ad agency for 7-Eleven (1954–1981) in 1969. These stores carry a slightly different product selection than other 7-Eleven stores in the United States. as they do not serve hot dogs or nachos. Instead, they have their own bakeries, called Seventh Heaven. Also, due to this agreement, they carry a non-7-Eleven branded product in lieu of the Slurpee, the Icy Drink, which is not to be confused with the ICEE. The one side effect to this arrangement is that national advertising campaigns and promotions (e.g. movie marketing tie-ins) cannot be used.

In the Pennsylvania market -- a market noted for innovation within the convenience store industry -- 7-Eleven competes with Turkey Hill from Lancaster, Wawa from the Philadelphia area, and Sheetz from Altoona. 7-Eleven has no presence in the Altoona–State College–Johnstown area because of Sheetz, but is predominant in the Pittsburgh region where Sheetz also dominates, as well as South Central Pennsylvania around the state capital of Harrisburg. 7-Eleven is also absent in several cities in Texas (Houston, Galveston, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, San Antonio (1989–2012) - 7-Elevens in these cities after 1988 (1989 for its San Antonio locations) were sold to National Convenience Stores, which owns the Stop & Go franchise, later acquired by Diamond Shamrock in November 1995, now part of Valero since 2006), even though the United States headquarters is based there. As of 2012, 7-Eleven has no plans to re-enter Southeast Texas although Houston, TX-based Landmark Industries is dominant with their Timewise convenience stores which has over 200 locations, usually co-branded with a McDonald's and a major name-brand oil company. 7-Elevens are prevalent in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, Temple, Killeen, Fort Hood, and Austin (primarily on the Interstate 35 corridor), in West Texas (Midland, Lubbock, El Paso - the West Texas locations west of Interstate 35 are co-branded with Alon gas stations, part of Alon USA's retail business interests which includes Southwest Convenience Stores; 7-Elevens with Alon (formerly Fina) gas stations are licensed franchises), and two individual franchises in Smithville and San Marcos, Texas. The current Texas locations are located north of Interstate 10 and west of the Interstate 35 corridor including the Smithville location east of Bastrop. In North Carolina, 7-Elevens were only seen in the northeastern part of the state, as part of the Hampton Roads market, between 1988 and 2012. In the rest of the state, there are several equivalents. 7-Eleven has little to no presence in the Albany, New York market due to the prominence there of Stewart's Shops, a local chain.

In 1987, Southland acquired High's Dairy Stores of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. many of which were converted to 7-Elevens.

In March 2007, it was announced that 7-Eleven would sell its corporately owned stores in northern Texas and in Florida to franchisees; the chain has been franchising stores since 1964. The sale will make 7-Eleven virtually a franchise-only operation in six years.

7-Eleven is moving toward franchising most of its remaining corporate locations inside the United States. The 7-Eleven franchise system splits the gross profits 50/50 or close to it, between the company and the individual franchisee. The initial 7-Eleven franchise term is 15 years. The franchise fee and other upfront fees collected by 7-Eleven from a newly approved franchisee, in addition to ongoing 50:50 sharing of profits, is not transferable to another incoming franchisee in the same store, for the unexpired portion, if any, of the current 15 year contract. For example if one pays full franchise fee for 15 years and has to leave the store after one year due to any reason, they stand to lose the franchise fee for the remaining 14 years of their term.

Supermarket News ranked 7-Eleven's North American operations No. 11 in the 2007 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2006 fiscal year estimated sales of $15.0 billion. Based on 2005 revenue, 7-Eleven is the twenty-fourth largest retailer in the United States.

In the United States, many 7-Eleven locations used to have filling stations with gasoline distributed by Citgo, which in 1983 was purchased by Southland Corporation (and 50% of Citgo was subsequently sold in 1986 to Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. and the remaining 50% in 1990). Although Citgo was the predominant partner of 7-Eleven, other oil companies are also co-branded with 7-Eleven, including Fina, Exxon, Gulf, Marathon, BP, Sunoco, Shell, and Pennzoil. Alon USA is the largest 7-Eleven licensee in North America.

On September 27, 2006, 7-Eleven announced its 20-year contract with Citgo was coming to an end and would not be renewed. 7-Eleven Spokeswoman Margaret Chabris said "Regardless of politics, we sympathize with many Americans' concern over derogatory comments about our country and its leadership recently made by Venezuela's president Hugo Chávez. Certainly Chávez's position and statements over the past year or so didn't tempt us to stay with Citgo." Later she said that "People are making it out to be more than it is." Citgo's Chief Executive Felix Rodriguez responded with a correction the following day, accusing 7-Eleven of exploiting the situation to score political points against Chavez, and pointing out that Citgo's decision to terminate the contract with 7-Eleven had been made in July, for practical and economic reasons: " a manipulation because ever since the month of July have we announced that we did not intend to renew a contract with 7-Eleven, which was 20 years old and that was part of a bad business deal for Venezuela." A statement found on Citgo's homepage stated, "The 7-Eleven contract did not fit within CITGO's strategy to balance sales with refinery production after the sale of its interest in a Houston area refinery."

At locations that have already phased out Citgo fuel, 7-Eleven is no longer accepting Citgo's credit cards. 7-Eleven stores that have removed the Citgo sign usually replace it with an "Oh Thank Heaven!" or "Fast and Fresh" sign on the main sign display, and simply place the 7-Eleven logo on the canopy over the pumps.

In more recent years, however, many gas station locations being built have a 7-Eleven, including the acquisition of BP's "Shop" brand on several locations in the New York metropolitan area. 7-Eleven major competitor is Royal Farms. 7-Eleven signed an agreement with ExxonMobil's retail interests in December 2010 by acquiring 183 sites in Florida and in August 2011 by acquiring 51 of their On The Run stores to the existing 239 locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. 7-Eleven expanded their business interests with a partnership with Dallas-Fort Worth based Cinemark Theatres after July 2011 where the Slurpee beverage is sold at Cinemark locations in Dallas and Houston, Texas and Portland, Oregon (which is deemed as a re-entry into the Houston, Texas metro area since 1988). In past years, 7-Eleven had their marketing tie-in with blockbuster summer film releases on their Big Gulp and Slurpee cups and partnering with Cinemark officially marks the first time that a 7-Eleven branded product is sold outside its parent franchise since this was demonstrated at a Dallas, Texas sports arena. Some locations where Cinemark Theaters are located e.g. State of Utah or Houston, TX do not have 7-Eleven locations where marketing a 7-Eleven branded product would attract future customers. Citibank ATMs can be found in locations across the United States.

On April 27, 2011 7-Eleven signed an agreement to purchase Wilson Farms, a Buffalo, New York-based convenience store chain with 188 outlets in New York state. The addition of Wilson Farms significantly increased 7-Eleven’s presence in the western New York area.

In 2012, 7-Eleven entered into an agreement with Sam's Mart convenience stores to purchase 55 stores in the Charlotte, North Carolina market and convert them to the 7-Eleven brand. This marked 7-Eleven's re-entry into the Charlotte market after a 24 year absence.

In June 2012, 7-Eleven entered into an agreement with Open Pantry convenience stores to purchase around 2 dozen stores in Wisconsin and convert them to the 7-Eleven brand. This marked 7-Eleven's first stores in Wisconsin since the late 1990s.

In August 2012, 7-Eleven entered into an agreement with Tetco, Inc. to purchase all Tetco's stores that are company-operated in Utah and the Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio areas. TETCO stores will be remodeled and rebranded as 7-Eleven outlets once the transaction closes in November. This will also mark the first time 7-Eleven has been back in San Antonio, TX since 1989.

7-Eleven celebrates its birthday in the United States every year on July 11. Free samples are given out in 7.11-ounce cups and patrons can choose any flavor Slurpee that they wish.