Does 7-Eleven Really Sell Pizza? Everything You Need to Know
As a beloved convenience store chain found on practically every corner across the country, 7-Eleven aims to fulfill nearly any quick craving or necessity that strikes in your busy day. From picking up a gallon of milk to satisfying a salty snack attack and of course, grabbing a legendary Slurpee. But what about when hunger strikes and you get a hankering for steaming hot pizza loaded with cheese and toppings? Can you really grab a full pizza pie or few quick slices from a 7-Eleven nearby?
The answer may surprise you – yes! Pizza is now firmly on the 7-Eleven menu. Continue reading for intel on the types of pizza, if it‘s any good, pricing, customization options and more.
A Hot Slice of the Convenience Store Market Share
Back in 2017 raring to expand its foodservice offerings, 7-Eleven embarked on an ambitious initiative to provide fresh pizza baked in-store at a majority of its locations. Leveraging special rapid-cook TurboChef ovens, franchise owners were encouraged and enabled to start serving three staple pizza varieties on their countertops almost immediately – a smart tactic for snagging customers already coming in for drinks, gas and snacks.
And pizza-hungry customers did come, and continue flocking today. While hard sales data is tightly held, over 5,000 7-Eleven stores now selling piping hot pizza would indicate the convenience store chain is moving millions of slices yearly. An estimated 15-20% of customers now add a slice or pie to their 7-Eleven purchases. Proving pizza wasn‘t just a passing fad, 7-Eleven has also upgraded their pizza recipe in recent years, focusing on enhancing the crust and sauce especially to appease customer feedback.
So on your next late-night or midday 7-Eleven run, anticipate the high possibility of grabbing pizza. Let‘s explore everything you need to know about 7-Eleven pizza before taking a bite!
Pizza Options: More Than Just Plain Cheese
While limited-service pizza will never offer the expansive topping bar of Domino‘s down the road, 7-Eleven still provides sufficient variety to satisfy most hurried pizza cravings. Core pies include:
- Cheese: $5 for a 14-inch pie, $2 per slice
- Pepperoni: $5.50 for a 14-inch pie, $2.25 per slice
- Supreme or Meat Lover‘s: $6 for a 14-inch pie, $2.50 per slice
The Supreme/Meat Lover‘s combines pepperoni and Italian sausage along with bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms for a loaded pizza experience.
Occasionally special seasonal pizzas, like Hawaiian or Breakfast pizzas also emerge. But the Big 3 listed above are available year-round.
| Pizza Type | Price (14" pie) | Price (slice) | Calories (slice) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheese | $5 | $2 | 280 |
| Pepperoni | $5.50 | $2.25 | 300 |
| Supreme | $6 | $2.50 | 330 |
High Marks for Convenience, Mediocre on Quality
Considering most customers are prioritizing expediency and ease over artisan authenticity, 7-Eleven pizza satisfies on the convenience front. You‘ll never wait more than 5 minutes for freshly baked pizza to materialize after ordering. But when rating strictly on flavor and ingredients, reviews are lukewarm at best.
Popular food critic Scott Wiener offered this candid take:
"7-Eleven pizza certainly fills a void when you need cheap, quick sustenance. Is it good pizza? Not really – the crust is drier than I‘d like and sauce a tad sweet. But for a hot little $5 pie in 3 minutes without leaving my car? Hard to complain."
So there you have it. 7-Eleven pizza is the ultimate grab-and-go convenience food, not a gourmet pizza replacement. But when you‘re hungry and hurried, it gets the job done!
Get It While It‘s Hot! Reheating Tips
Since the pizza is cooked fresh to order in rapid TurboChef ovens, you can certainly take it to-go and enjoy later. For the best just-baked texture and taste, consume within 30 minutes if possible. But leftovers will hold up fine for 1-2 days.
To restore hot crispy goodness, zap slices in the microwave for 45-60 seconds. Let sit 2 minutes before devouring to allow the microwave heat to evenly distribute. And never microwave 7-Eleven pizza longer than 2 minutes or you‘ll end up with an unpleasantly chewy slice of gummy bread.
Regional Differences Do Exist
It‘s important to note that not all 15,000+ 7-Eleven stores currently sell pizza. Most company locations have jumped on board, but independent franchise owners ultimately decide whether or not to sell designated corporate food products like pizza in their stores.
Your best bet is calling ahead to confirm pizza availability if making a special trip. Or if already inside, check for posters or hot case signage advertising hot foods and pizza near the front counter. There‘s typically a heating display case for whole pies and warming racks to stock slices.
No pizza on display upon walking in? Unfortunately you‘re out of luck for piping hot pizza goodness at that particular 7-Eleven.
Pizza by 7-Eleven: Filling a Niche Need
At the end of the day, 7-Eleven pizza will never measure up to the quality of dedicated pizza chains or your beloved hometown pizza parlor. But it does fill a unique niche in the convenience food landscape. When you need to grab a quick bite in a hurry, and don‘t want to sacrifice affordability for flavors that are decent enough, hot pizza from 7-Eleven fits the bill.
So next time you‘re on the run and need food fast, don‘t hesitate to drop by 7-Eleven to consider adding its pizza offering. Just set taste expectations accordingly!
