We’ve all been there — it’s late, the fridge is empty, and you need something fast. 7-Eleven’s iconic orange logo has become shorthand for exactly that kind of moment, which is why searches for “7/11 near me” stay consistently high year after year.

Official Locator: 7-eleven.com/locator · Global Reach: ~85,000 stores in 20 countries · Hours: Most locations open 24/7 · Japan Density: 21,668 stores

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
  • 7-Eleven operates roughly 85,000 stores in 20 countries and territories as of August 2024 (from Wikipedia)
  • Japan hosts the highest density with 21,668 locations — nearly 25% of global stores (from Wikipedia)
2What’s unclear
  • Precise store counts for some European markets lack independent verification
  • Exact ownership structure of regional franchise operations varies by country
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Continue using official locator tools to verify real-time open status
  • Check fuel prices and amenities on individual store pages before visiting

The table below provides key 7-Eleven resources and sample store locations across regions:

Label Value
Main Locator URL 7-Eleven Official Locator
Australia Locator 7-Eleven Australia Store Finder
Dublin CA Store 7120 Dublin Blvd, Dublin, CA
Maps Search Google Maps Search
Franchise Guide Swoop US franchise costs info

What does 7-11 stand for?

The name reflects the chain’s original operating hours. Southland Ice Company founded the first store in Dallas, Texas in 1927, initially selling ice and everyday staples. When the owners began staying open until 11 PM in 1946, they rebranded as “7-Eleven” — a direct acknowledgment of those extended hours that made the chain stand apart from competitors closing at dusk.

Historical origins

Southland Ice Company operated as a typical ice delivery business before pivoting to retail. The Dallas stores were open seven days a week, which was uncommon at the time. When Joe Thompson and his cousin Joe C. Thompson took over operations, they recognized that extending evening hours attracted customers who worked late shifts. This insight became the template for modern convenience retail.

Name meaning

The hyphenated “7-11” simply indicates the store’s core trading window: 7 AM to 11 PM. Early franchise materials emphasized this schedule as a selling point. Today, many locations operate 24 hours, but the original name stuck as a recognizable brand identity that predates modern convenience culture.

The implication: the name itself is a historical artifact from an era when extended retail hours were genuinely novel — and it survived because the brand became synonymous with round-the-clock availability.

Who is the owner of 7-11?

7-Eleven is owned by Japanese conglomerate Seven & i Holdings, which acquired the chain in 2005 when it purchased a controlling stake from Ted and Joe Thompson’s family. The deal valued 7-Eleven at around $2.3 billion at the time, making it one of the largest international acquisitions of an American retail brand.

Current ownership

Seven & i Holdings, headquartered in Tokyo, now operates 7-Eleven as a wholly-owned subsidiary. The parent company also runs convenience store chains in Japan, China, and several other Asian markets, making it the world’s largest convenience store operator by revenue. This Japanese ownership explains why Japan hosts the highest concentration of 7-Eleven stores globally — the parent company treats its home market as the operational flagship.

Corporate structure

The corporate structure combines direct company-owned stores with a franchise model. In the United States, most locations are franchise-operated, while international markets like Japan and Australia use hybrid arrangements. This structure allows rapid expansion without requiring massive capital outlays for each new location.

The catch: Japanese ownership means strategic decisions — including new market entries and store format changes — often originate from Tokyo rather than Dallas. For franchisees, this shapes everything from product assortments to technology investments.

In which countries is 7-Eleven available?

7-Eleven operates in approximately 20 countries and territories, with the highest store density in Japan, followed by the United States, China, and Southeast Asian markets. A 2014 world map and subsequent updates show the chain’s global footprint, though exact country counts vary slightly between sources.

Major markets

Japan leads with 21,668 stores as of 2024, representing nearly 25% of global locations. Tokyo alone has 2,824 stores — a density that exceeds most countries’ total 7-Eleven count. The United States follows as the second-largest market, with stores operating under both the 7-Eleven brand and regional names like Speedway and Stripes in specific territories. Mainland China reported 2,582 stores as of September 2021, while smaller markets like Macau (45 stores) demonstrate the chain’s ability to thrive in geographically compact regions.

Why this matters

Franchise partnerships mean store formats and hours can differ significantly between countries — always verify with the local locator rather than assuming uniform service.

Store locator tools

The official 7-Eleven store locator serves as the primary tool for finding nearby stores. The locator lets users search by city, postal code, or current location, with results showing address, hours, available amenities, and fuel prices where applicable. For Australia-specific searches, the 7-Eleven Australia store finder provides localized results. Google Maps users can also search “7-eleven near me” to surface nearby locations with real-time open status from multiple data sources.

The pattern: the official locator offers the most complete data, but Google Maps provides faster access with open/closed status — for urgent late-night runs, the search engine result often wins on convenience.

Does Dublin have 7-11?

Dublin, California definitely has a 7-Eleven — the store at 7120 Dublin Blvd serves the Bay Area suburb with standard convenience offerings. However, Dublin, Ireland presents a different situation. Search results for Dublin, Ireland show no 7-Eleven locations in that city, suggesting the chain has not established a presence in the Republic of Ireland’s capital as of the latest data.

Dublin CA location

The Dublin, California store at 7120 Dublin Blvd is a standard US location open 24/7, consistent with the Texas stores that follow the same operational model. Bay Area residents and visitors can locate it through the official finder or standard map applications.

Dublin Ireland checks

Yelp aggregators and Irish business directories do not list 7-Eleven stores in Dublin, Ireland. This aligns with the broader pattern: 7-Eleven’s European presence remains limited to specific markets, primarily Sweden and select franchise territories. Ireland lacks both company-owned and franchise-operated locations as of the latest available records.

Local alternatives

Visitors to Dublin, Ireland seeking similar late-night convenience will find Centra, Spar, and Euroshop stores filling that niche. These chains operate extended hours in urban centers, though none match 7-Eleven’s global brand recognition.

What this means: for users searching “7/11 near me” from Ireland or the UK, the answer is currently “not available in your country.” Adjusting the search to local chains yields more actionable results.

Is 7-11 American or Japanese?

7-Eleven is American in origin but Japanese in ownership. The chain was founded in Dallas, Texas in 1927 and operated as an American company for decades under Southland Corporation. The 2005 acquisition by Seven & i Holdings transferred primary ownership to Japan, making the brand technically Japanese-owned today.

Founding country

The United States created 7-Eleven’s core business model: extended hours, standardized layouts, and convenience-focused product assortments. The original Southland Corporation grew the chain to hundreds of US locations before international expansion began in the 1970s. Canada became the first foreign market in 1972, followed by Japan in 1974 through a licensing agreement that eventually led to full acquisition.

International expansion

Japan’s entry in 1974 proved transformative. The market’s embrace of the concept — combined with Japanese operational refinements — produced a density that dwarfed US operations. When Seven & i Holdings acquired the parent company in 2005, it was partly a homecoming: the market that had validated 7-Eleven’s international potential now owned the brand outright.

The paradox

American consumers often assume 7-Eleven is Japanese because they first encountered the brand in Japan or associate it with Japanese retail innovation — but the reverse is closer to truth: Japan elevated an American concept to global scale.

The implication: if you’re searching “7-Eleven near me” while traveling in Asia, you’re likely to find a store within walking distance in major cities. In Europe or parts of Africa, the search may return no results — the brand’s expansion outside its core markets remains uneven.

How much money do I need to own a 7-Eleven?

Startup costs for a 7-Eleven franchise vary significantly by market and location type. Detailed breakdowns are available through franchise cost guides and official 7-Eleven resources, with initial investments typically including franchise fees, real estate, equipment, and inventory.

The implication: prospective franchisees should carefully review all associated costs before committing, as the initial investment represents just one part of the total financial commitment required to operate a 7-Eleven location.

How to find 7-Eleven near me

Finding the nearest 7-Eleven takes under a minute using the right tools. Here’s a straightforward approach that covers multiple scenarios:

  1. Open the official 7-Eleven store locator and enter your city, postal code, or allow location access. Results display within seconds with addresses, phone numbers, and operating hours.
  2. For mobile-first searching, open Google Maps and type “7-eleven near me.” The search uses your device’s last-known location to surface nearby stores, often with real-time open/closed status.
  3. Filter results by distance using the locator’s radius options — most tools let you specify 1 mile, 5 miles, or custom distances.
  4. Check the “open now” filter on Google Maps to surface only currently operating locations, useful for late-night or early-morning visits.
  5. For walking directions, tap the address in search results and select the walking icon — Google Maps and Apple Maps both support turn-by-turn pedestrian navigation.
  6. Before driving to a specific location, review the store page for fuel prices if the location includes a gas station. Prices vary between nearby stores; checking in advance can save cents per gallon.

The trade-off: the official locator offers the most complete data including deals and sign-in-only offers, while Google Maps wins on speed and real-time status. Power users often bookmark both.

What we know and what we don’t

The confirmed facts about 7-Eleven are solid: 85,000 global stores as of August 2024, strongholds in Japan and the US, and a store locator that reliably surfaces operational locations. The Texas stores demonstrate consistent 24/7 availability, and fuel prices update within 24 hours on individual store pages.

What remains unclear includes precise store counts for certain European markets and the exact franchise ownership structures in countries where 7-Eleven licenses its brand to local operators. Global store counts also vary slightly between Wikipedia (85,000 in 20 countries) and the 7-Eleven Philippines regional page (83,485 in 17 countries) — the discrepancy likely reflects different counting methodologies and data vintage rather than error.

“7-Eleven is the largest convenience store chain in the world. There are currently around 83,485 7-Eleven stores across the world.”

7-Eleven Philippines (Regional Official Site)

“7-Eleven operates, franchises and licenses roughly 85,000 stores in 20 countries and territories as of August 2024.”

— Wikipedia (Encyclopedic Source)

The pattern: two authoritative sources differ by roughly 1,500 stores — acceptable variance for a chain of this scale, but worth noting if precision matters for your search.

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Travelers searching for late-night snacks can refine their quest using the 7-Eleven Near Me Locator, which details over 12,000 U.S. locations with real-time hours.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find 7-Eleven stores within 5 miles?

Open the official locator at 7-eleven.com/locator, enter your postal code, and use the distance filter to set a 5-mile radius. Google Maps also supports “7-eleven near me” searches with adjustable map zoom to limit results to your target area.

What is the 7-Eleven store locator?

The store locator is a web-based tool provided by 7-Eleven that lets users find nearby stores by address, city, or real-time location. Results include store hours, amenities, fuel prices, and contact details. Some features like exclusive deals require sign-in.

Are there 7-Eleven stores open now near me?

Most US 7-Eleven locations operate 24/7. To verify current status, use Google Maps to search “7-eleven near me” — the search results display real-time open/closed badges for each location based on reported hours.

How to get walking directions to 7-Eleven?

Find the store address in the locator or Google Maps, tap it, and select the walking icon. Both Google Maps and Apple Maps provide pedestrian-friendly routes with estimated walk time.

Is there a 7-Eleven within 1 mile of me?

Use the official locator’s distance filter to set a 1-mile radius, or zoom into a 1-mile radius on Google Maps around your location. Urban areas — particularly in Japan and US metropolitan zones — almost always have a store within that range.

How to find 7-Eleven in Singapore?

Singapore has approximately 150 7-Eleven stores across the island. Use the official locator with “Singapore” as the search term, or search Google Maps directly for “7-Eleven Singapore.” Most locations are in MRT stations, malls, and residential areas.

What are 7-Eleven hours near me?

The majority of US 7-Eleven stores are open 24 hours, 7 days a week. International locations may have set hours. Check the specific store page via the locator for accurate operating times, as some locations in rural areas or small markets may close overnight.

For North American users, the choice between tools is straightforward: bookmark the official locator for detailed store pages and deal access, keep Google Maps open for real-time navigation and open status. For international travelers, verify locator coverage before assuming it works in your destination — 7-Eleven’s digital presence varies by market.