In one episode of the Discovery Channel’s How It’s Made—which is so disgusting that one has to wonder if producers of the show made it as a parody—the mystery of hot dogs is finally revealed … sort of. Show From grinding up meat “trimmings” from pigs, chickens, and cows to pumping out brown sludge that’s eventually formed into a phallic-shaped monstrosity, every stage of production leaves watchers wondering how in the world hot dogs are legal to sell—let alone classified as “food.” Hot dogs are made of “mechanically separated meat,” defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as “a paste-like and batter-like meat product produced by forcing bones with attached edible meat under high pressure through a sieve or similar device.” When they chow down on a hot dog, consumers also get much more than they bargained for—including glass, plastic, metal, bone, rodents, and other miscellaneous objects. It’s no surprise that the World Health Organization now classifies hot dogs and other processed meats as carcinogenic—in the same category as cigarettes and asbestos. It takes a liquid smoke bath, a salt-water treatment, and many other flavorings to make consumers forget that they’re eating runny flesh trimmings that—let’s be honest—resemble an alarming case of diarrhea.
Perhaps the most genuine reaction to learning how hot dogs are made came from the legendary Snoop Dogg, who, after watching footage of hot dog production, exclaimed, “Every time I see a motherf*cker at a barbecue with a plate with a hot dog on it, I’m knockin’ that sh*t out his hands.” Before animals’ body parts are pulverized into paste, they live short, miserable lives.Mother pigs—who account for almost 6 million of the pigs in the U.S.—spend most of their lives in individual gestation crates that are so small that they can’t even turn around. In nature, after piglets are born, their mothers clean them and make a nest. But on factory farms, mother pigs are locked inside farrowing crates, which are barely wide enough for them to lie down and nurse their babies. The crates also prevent them from performing any other natural maternal behavior. Chickens raised for their flesh—called “broilers” by the chicken industry—spend their entire lives in filthy sheds with tens of thousands of other birds, and the intense crowding and confinement lead to injuries and outbreaks of disease. When still very young, many cows are branded, dehorned, and castrated—all without painkillers. Then cows raised for beef are sent to massive, filthy outdoor feedlots, where they’re fattened for slaughter. Save animals by leaving this repulsive food off your plate.You can help animals—including pigs, cows, and others whose body parts might end up in hot dogs—every day by choosing to go vegan. To help you get started, here’s a coupon for $2 off any Field Roast product!
After the steaks, chops, breasts, ribs, thighs, hams, tenderloins and briskets are removed, there's a fair amount of gristle, fat and offal remaining on a butchered animal, and early on, people realized this could be put to good use. One of these products is the hot dog, a classic of pre-cooked, processed meat. TrimmingsThe National Hot Dog & Sausage Council (NHDSC) notes that hot dogs, whether regular, turkey, pork or beef, begin with "trimmings." A purposely-vague word, trimmings come in lots of shapes and sizes. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): "The raw meat materials used for precooked-cooked products are lower-grade muscle trimmings, fatty tissues, head meat, animal feet, animal skin, blood, liver and other edible slaughter by-products." Yum! Pre-cookingBecause of the butchering process, the leftovers used in products like hot dogs often have a fair amount of bacteria, and so pre-cooking helps eliminate that. In addition, pre-cooking has the added benefit of helping to separate the remaining muscle meat, fat and connective tissues from the head and feet bones. Cooking also makes the trimmings more manageable. Because of the different sizes and types of carcasses, there are different pre-cooking times for different animals (and different parts), although it typically occurs within the range of 150 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot Dog ProductionLike many other products, such as bologna and liver sausage, hot dogs and frankfurters are created by "meat emulsion," although as the FAO notes, "meat batter" might be a more accurate term. Higher quality products are made from top quality meats and no chemicals. Examples include kosher, all beef hot dogs that have no by-products, fillers or artificial colors or flavors. Less expensive types of hot dogs will have chemicals, fats and water binding agents added, and for many of these, the production process is simple: First pork and/or beef trimmings are ground up in a machine and then extruded through a metal sieve-like device so they resemble ground hamburger meat. At this point, ground chicken trimmings (if any) are added, and together, the mixture is blended (emulsified) until it looks like the aforementioned meat batter. Now salt, ground spices and food starches (if you made this at home, you might use bread crumbs, flour or oatmeal) are added, along with some water and corn syrup or another sweetener. Toward the end of the process, more water is added, to get the batter to the proper consistency (no one wants a dry wiener). The batter is "pureed again [and] the excess air is vacuumed out." Next the emulsified meat is pumped into casings (usually cellulose but sometimes natural), and the strings of dogs are hung on racks and fully cooked in a smoke house. Sometimes hardwood smoke is added. Later, the dogs are showered in cold, salted water, and then, if cellulose casings were used, put through a peeler to remove the casings (natural casings are left on). Remember, "natural casings" means the intestine of an animal that have been thoroughly cleaned and processed. Finally, finished dogs are inspected by hand, and only "flawless" tubed meat is routed to yet another machine where the dogs are grouped for packing. If you liked this article, you might also enjoy: A hot dog[1][2] (less commonly spelled hotdog[3]) is a food consisting of a grilled or steamed sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun.[4] The term hot dog can also refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a wiener (Vienna sausage) or a frankfurter (Frankfurter Würstchen, also just called frank). The names of these sausages also commonly refer to their assembled dish.[5] Some consider a hot dog to technically be a sandwich. Hot dog preparation and condiments vary worldwide. Typical condiments include mustard, ketchup, relish, onions in tomato sauce, and cheese sauce. Common garnishes include sauerkraut, diced onions, jalapeños, chili, grated cheese, coleslaw, bacon, and olives.[6] Hot dog variants include the corn dog and pigs in a blanket. The hot dog's cultural traditions include the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest and the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.
A typical hot dog with added mustard as a condiment
These types of sausages were culturally imported from Germany and became popular in the United States. It became a working-class street food in the U.S., sold at stands and carts. The hot dog became closely associated with baseball and American culture. Although particularly connected with New York City and its cuisine, the hot dog eventually became ubiquitous throughout the US during the 20th century. Its preparation varies regionally in the country, emerging as an important part of other regional cuisines, including Chicago street cuisine.[7][8][9] A hot dog as served on Coney Island in 1940 The word frankfurter comes from Frankfurt, Germany, where pork sausages similar to hot dogs originated.[10] These sausages, Frankfurter Würstchen, were known since the 13th century and given to the people on the event of imperial coronations, starting with the coronation of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, as King. "Wiener" refers to Vienna, Austria (German: Wien), home to a sausage made of a mixture of pork and beef.[11] Johann Georg Lahner, an 18th/19th century butcher from the Franconian city of Coburg, is said to have brought the Frankfurter Würstchen to Vienna, where he added beef to the mixture and simply called it Frankfurter.[12] Nowadays, in German-speaking countries, except Austria, hot dog sausages are called Wiener or Wiener Würstchen (Würstchen means "little sausage"), to differentiate them from the original pork-only mixture from Frankfurt. In Swiss German, it is called Wienerli, while in Austria the terms Frankfurter or Frankfurter Würstel are used.[citation needed] Carts selling frankfurters in New York City, c. 1906. The price is listed as "3 cents each or 2 for 5 cents". It is not definitively known who started the practice of serving the sausage in the bun. One of the strongest claims comes from Harry M. Stevens who was a food concessionaire.[13] The claim is that, while working at the New York Polo Grounds in 1901, he came upon the idea of using small French rolls to hold the sausages when the waxed paper they were using ran out.[14][15] A German immigrant named Feuchtwanger, from Frankfurt, in Hesse, allegedly pioneered the practice in the American Midwest; there are several versions of the story with varying details. According to one account, Feuchtwanger's wife proposed the use of a bun in 1880: Feuchtwanger sold hot dogs on the streets of St. Louis, Missouri, and provided gloves to his customers so that they could handle the sausages without burning their hands. Losing money when customers did not return the gloves, Feuchtwanger's wife suggested serving the sausages in a roll instead.[16] In another version, Antoine Feuchtwanger, or Anton Ludwig Feuchtwanger, served sausages in rolls at the World's Fair – either at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis,[17][18] or, earlier, at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, in Chicago[19] – again, allegedly because the white gloves provided to customers to protect their hands were being kept as souvenirs.[20] Another possible origin for serving the sausages in rolls is the pieman Charles Feltman, at Coney Island in New York City. In 1867 he had a cart made with a stove on which to boil sausages, and a compartment to keep buns in which they were served fresh. In 1871 he leased land to build a permanent restaurant, and the business grew, selling far more than just the "Coney Island Red Hots" as they were known.[21][22][23] Dog Factory, a short film by Thomas Edison poking fun at what went into hot dogs in 1904 The term dog has been used as a synonym for sausage since the 1800s, possibly from accusations that sausage makers used dog meat in their sausages.[24] In Germany the consumption of dog meat was common in Saxony, Silesia, Anhalt, and Bavaria during the 19th and 20th centuries.[25][26][27] The suspicion that sausages contained dog meat was "occasionally justified".[28] An early use of the term hot dog in reference to the sausage-meat appears in the Evansville (Indiana) Daily Courier (September 14, 1884):
It was used to mean a sausage in casing in the Paterson (New Jersey) Daily Press (31 December 1892):
Subsequent uses include the New Brunswick (New Jersey) Daily Times (May 20, 1893), the New York World (May 26, 1893), and the Knoxville (Tennessee) Journal (September 28, 1893).[30] According to one story, the use of the complete phrase hot dog (in reference to sausage) was coined by the newspaper cartoonist Thomas Aloysius "Tad" Dorgan around 1900 in a cartoon recording the sale of hot dogs during a New York Giants baseball game at the Polo Grounds.[24] Tad Dorgan's Indoor Sports strip from January 8, 1916, using the term hot dog. However, Dorgan's earliest usage of hot dog was not in reference to a baseball game at the Polo Grounds, but to a bicycle race at Madison Square Garden, in The New York Evening Journal December 12, 1906, by which time the term hot dog in reference to sausage was already in use.[24][30] No copy of the apocryphal cartoon has ever been found.[31]
Grilled hot dogs Common hot dog sausage ingredients include:[32]
Pork and beef are the traditional meats used in hot dogs. Less expensive hot dogs are often made from chicken or turkey, using low-cost mechanically separated poultry. Changes in meat technology and dietary preferences have led manufacturers to lower the salt content and use turkey, chicken, and vegetarian meat substitutes. Commercial preparationHormel hot dogs going into a smoker (1964) Hot dogs are prepared commercially by mixing the ingredients (meats, spices, binders and fillers) in vats where rapidly moving blades grind and mix the ingredients in the same operation. This mixture is forced through tubes into casings for cooking. Most hot dogs sold in the US are "skinless" rather than "natural casing" sausages. Natural-casing hot dogsAs with most sausages, hot dogs must be in a casing to be cooked. Traditional casing is made from the small intestines of sheep. The products are known as "natural casing" hot dogs or frankfurters.[33] These hot dogs have firmer texture and a "snap" that releases juices and flavor when the product is bitten.[33] Kosher casings are expensive in commercial quantities in the US, so kosher hot dogs are usually skinless or made with reconstituted collagen casings.[33] Skinless hot dogs"Skinless" hot dogs use a casing for cooking, but the casing may be a long tube of thin cellulose that is removed between cooking and packaging, a process invented in Chicago in 1925[34] by Erwin O. Freund, founder of Visking.[35] The first skinless hot dog casings were produced by Freund's new company under the name "Nojax", short for "no jackets" and sold to local Chicago sausage makers. Skinless hot dogs vary in surface texture, but have a softer "bite" than with natural casing. Skinless hot dogs are more uniform in shape and size and cheaper to make than natural casing hot dogs. Home consumptionA hot dog may be prepared and served in various ways.[36] Typically it is served in a hot dog bun with various condiments and toppings. The sausage itself may be sliced and added, without bread, to other dishes.
Sandwich debateThere is an ongoing debate about whether or not a hot dog fits the description of a sandwich.[37] The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) has declared that a hot dog is not a sandwich.[38] Hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut and former hot dog eating champion Takeru Kobayashi agree with the NHDSC.[39][40] Dictionary Merriam-Webster, on the other hand, has stated that a hot dog is indeed a sandwich.[41] United States Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg also weighed in on the matter, stating that a hot dog might be categorized to be a sandwich, but ultimately it comes down to the definition of a sandwich.[42] She went on to acknowledge that a hot dog bun is a single roll that is not sliced all the way through and in that way is similar to a submarine sandwich.[43] United States Department of Agriculture 1964 film on hot dog and other meat inspection Although hot dogs are cooked during manufacture, it is still recommended that they are heated to an internal temperature of at least 165 °F (75 °C) prior to consumption.[44] Most hot dogs are high in fat and salt and have preservatives sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite, which are contributors to nitrate-containing chemicals classified as group 1 carcinogens by the World Health Organization,[45] although this has been disputed.[46][47] These health concerns have resulted in manufacturers offering alternative product lines made from turkey and chicken, and uncured, low-sodium, and "all-natural" franks. Hot dogs have relatively low carcinogenic heterocyclic amine (HCA) levels compared to other types of ready-to-eat meat products because they are manufactured at low temperatures.[48] An American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) report found that consuming one daily 50-gram serving of processed meat — about one hot dog — increases long-term risk of colorectal cancer by 20 percent.[49] Thus, eating a hot dog every day would increase the probability of contracting colorectal cancer from 5.8 percent to 7 percent. The AICR's warning campaign has been criticized as being "attack ads".[47][50] The Cancer Project group filed a class-action lawsuit demanding warning labels on packages and at sporting events.[51] Like many foods, hot dogs can cause illness if not heated properly to kill pathogens. An unopened package of hot dogs contains ingredients that have the potential for promoting the growth of Listeria bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes can also cause serious infections in infants and pregnant women, and can be transmitted to an infant in utero or after birth. Adults with suppressed immune systems can also be harmed.[52] Due to their size, shape, and ubiquitous consumption, hot dogs present a significant choking risk, especially for children. A study in the US found that 17% of food-related asphyxiations among children younger than 10 years of age were caused by hot dogs.[53] The risk of choking on a hot dog is greatly reduced by slicing it. It has been suggested that redesign of the size, shape and texture of hot dogs would reduce the choking risk.[54] Hot dogs with ketchup, mustard, raw onion, fried onion, artificial bacon bits, and sliced pickle In the US, the term hot dog refers to both the sausage by itself and the combination of sausage and bun. Many nicknames applying to either have emerged over the years, including frankfurter, frank, wiener, weenie, coney, and red hot. Annually, Americans consume 20 billion hot dogs.[55] Hot dog restaurantsStands and trucks sell hot dogs at street and highway locations. Wandering hot dog vendors sell their product in baseball parks. At convenience stores, hot dogs are kept heated on rotating grills. 7-Eleven sells the most grilled hot dogs in North America — 100 million annually.[56] Hot dogs are also common on restaurants' children's menus. Fast-food restaurant chains typically do not carry hot dogs because of its shorter shelf-life, more complex toppings and cooking, and mismatched consumer expectations.[57] There are also restaurants where hot dogs are a specialty. CondimentsA Coney Island hot dog with chili, onion, and mustard Hot dogs are commonly served with one or more condiments. In 2005, the US-based National Hot Dog & Sausage Council (part of the American Meat Institute) found mustard to be the most popular, preferred by 32% of respondents; 23% favored ketchup; 17% chili; 9% pickle relish, and 7% onions. Other toppings include sauerkraut, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and chili peppers. Condiment preferences vary across the U.S. Southerners showed the strongest preference for chili, while Midwesterners showed the greatest affinity for ketchup.[58] Variations
A hot dog made from lamb in Sonoma, California. Many variations are named after regions other than the one in which they are popular. The "New York dog" or "New York style" hot dog is a natural-casing all-beef frank topped with sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard, onions optional. Sauteed bell peppers, onions, and potatoes find their way into New Jersey's deep-fried Italian hot dog. In the midwest, the Chicago-style hot dog is served on a poppy seed bun and topped with mustard, fresh tomatoes, onions, "sport peppers", bright green relish, dill pickles, and celery salt. Michigan hot dogs are popular in upstate New York (as are white hots), while Coney Island hot dogs are popular in Michigan. Hot wieners, or weenies, are a staple in Rhode Island where they are sold at restaurants with the misleading name "New York System."[59] Texas hot dogs are spicy variants found in upstate New York and Pennsylvania (and as "all the way dogs" in New Jersey), but not Texas. In the Philadelphia metro area, Texas Tommy refers to a hot dog variant in which the dog is topped with melted cheddar or another cheese and wrapped in bacon. Some baseball parks have signature hot dogs, such as Dodger Dogs at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and Fenway Franks at Fenway Park in Boston, which are boiled then grilled, and served on a New England-style bun. Skinner's Restaurant, in Lockport, Manitoba, is reputed to be Canada's oldest hot dog outlet in continuous operation, founded in 1929 by Jim Skinner Sr.[60][61] Hot dogs served at Skinner's are European style foot-long (30.5 cm) hot dogs with natural casings, manufactured by Winnipeg Old Country Sausage in Winnipeg, Manitoba.[citation needed] The Half Moon Drive In, also in Lockport, Manitoba, and located directly across the river from Skinner's, was established in 1938 by brothers Peter and Louie Kosowicz.[62] The original drive-in consisted of three wooden buildings shaped like semicircles — one was for takeout, one was for dine-in, and the third was a dance hall and later an arcade.[62] The Half Moon also serves European-style wieners manufactured by Winnipeg Old Country Sausage.[62] One of the most popular items on the menu is the Moon Dog, consisting of a hot dog topped with cheese, bacon, fried onions, pickles and mustard; the Half Moon serves about 2,000 on an average summer weekend day.[62] In most of the world, a "hot dog" is recognized as a sausage in a bun, but the type varies considerably. The name is often applied to something that would not be described as a hot dog in North America. For example, in New Zealand a "hot dog" is a battered sausage, often on a stick, which is known as a corn dog in North America; an "American hot dog" is the version in a bun.[citation needed] Gallery
Pictured in August 2006, the world's longest hot dog stretched 60 meters (197 ft). The world's longest hot dog had been 60 meters (197 ft) long and rested within a 60.3-meter (198 ft) bun. The hot dog was prepared by Shizuoka Meat Producers for the All-Japan Bread Association, which baked the bun and coordinated the event, including official measurement for the world record. The hot dog and bun were the center of a media event in celebration of the Association's 50th anniversary on August 4, 2006, at the Akasaka Prince Hotel in Tokyo.[citation needed] On May 31, 2012, Guinness World Records certified the world record for the most expensive hot dog at USD$145.49. The "California Capitol City Dawg", served at Capitol Dawg in Sacramento, California, features a grilled 460 mm (18 in) all-beef, natural-casing frank from Chicago, served on a fresh-baked herb-and-oil focaccia roll, spread with white truffle butter, then grilled. It is topped with whole-grain mustard from France, garlic and herb mayonnaise, sauteed chopped shallots, organic mixed baby greens, maple syrup-marinated and fruitwood-smoked uncured bacon from New Hampshire, chopped tomato, moose cheese from Sweden, sweetened dried cranberries, basil olive oil and pear-cranberry-coconut balsamic vinaigrette, and ground peppercorn. Proceeds from the sale of each 1.4 kg (3 lb) super dog were donated to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.[63] Hot dogs are a popular food for eating competitions. The record for hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes is 75 hot dogs. This record is held by Joey Chestnut, who achieved this feat at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2020, beating his previous record of 74.[64] The last person to hold the record before Chestnut was Takeru Kobayashi. Competitive eater Miki Sudo holds the record for most hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes by a female at 48.5 hot dogs, also setting this record on July 4, 2020.[65] The last person to hold the record before Sudo was Sonya Thomas.[66]
Notes
Bibliography
Further reading
Hot dog at Wikipedia's sister projects
Page 27-Eleven, Inc., styled as 7 ELEVEn, is an American multinational chain of retail convenience stores, headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The chain was founded in 1927 as an ice house storefront in Dallas. It was named Tote'm Stores between 1928 and 1946. After 70% of the company was acquired by an affiliate Ito-Yokado in 1991, it was reorganized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Seven & I Holdings.[2][3] Dallas, Texas ,U.S. Number of locations 78,029 (2021)[1]Key people
Number of employees (2005–present)SubsidiariesSpeedwayWebsitewww.7-eleven.com 7-Eleven operates, franchises, and licenses 78,029 stores in 19 countries and territories as of November 2021. A lowercase n was used in the logo because the first wife of John P. Thompson Sr., the company's president during the 1960s,[4] thought the all-capitals version seemed a little aggressive. She suggested the change "to make the logo look more graceful."[5] The company's first outlets were in Dallas, named "Tote'm Stores" because customers "toted" away their purchases. Some stores featured "native" totem poles in front of the store. In 1946, the chain's name was changed from "Tote'm" to "7-Eleven" to reflect the company's new, extended hours, 7:00 am to 11:00 pm, seven days per week.[6] In November 1999, the corporate name of the US company was changed from "The Southland Corporation" to "7-Eleven Inc."[7][8] In 1927, Southland Ice Company employee John Jefferson Green began selling ice, then he started selling eggs, milk, and bread from one of 16 ice house storefronts in Dallas, with permission from one of Southland's founding directors, Joe C. Thompson Sr.[9] Although small grocery stores and general merchandisers were available, Thompson theorized that selling products such as bread and milk in convenience stores would reduce the need for customers to travel long distances for basic items. Thompson eventually bought the Southland Ice Company and turned it into the Southland Corporation, which oversaw several locations in the Dallas area.[6] In 1928, a manager named Jenna Lira brought a totem pole as a souvenir from Alaska and placed it in front of her store. The pole served as a marketing tool for the company, as it attracted a great deal of attention. Soon, executives added totem poles in front of every store and eventually adopted an Alaska Native-inspired theme for their stores. Later on, the stores began operating under the name "Tote'm Stores". In the same year, the company began constructing gas stations in some of its Dallas locations as an experiment. Joe Thompson also provided a distinct characteristic to the company's stores, training the staff so that people would receive the same quality and service in every store. Southland also started to have a uniform for its ice station service boys. This became the major factor in the company's success as a retail convenience store.[citation needed] In 1931, the Great Depression affected the company, sending it toward bankruptcy. Nevertheless, the company continued its operations through re-organization and receivership. A Dallas banker, W. W. Overton Jr., also helped to revive the company's finances by selling the company's bonds for seven cents on the dollar. This brought the company's ownership under the control of a board of directors.[10] In 1946, in an effort to continue the company's post-war recovery, the name of the franchise was changed to 7-Eleven to reflect the stores' new hours of operation (7 am to 11 pm), which were unprecedented at the time. In 1963, 7-Eleven experimented with a 24-hour schedule in Austin, Texas, after an Austin store stayed open all night to satisfy customer demand.[6] Later on, 24-hour stores were established in Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas, as well as Las Vegas, Nevada.[11] In 1971, Southland acquired convenience stores of the former Pak-A-Sak chain owned by Graham Allen Penniman Sr. (1903–1985), of Shreveport, Louisiana.[12][13] With the purchase in 1963 of 126 Speedee Mart (all already open 7–11) franchised convenience stores in California, the company entered the franchise business. The company signed its first area licensing agreement in 1968 with Garb-Ko, Inc. of Saginaw, Michigan, which became the first U.S. domestic area 7-Eleven licensee. In the late 1980s, Southland Corporation was threatened by a rumored corporate takeover, prompting the Thompson family to take steps to convert the company into a private model by buying out public shareholders in a tender offer.[14] In December 1987, John Philp Thompson Sr., the chairman and CEO of 7-Eleven, completed a $5.2 billion management buyout of the company.[15] The buyout suffered from the effects of the 1987 stock market crash and after failing initially to raise high yield debt financing, the company was required to offer a portion of stock as an inducement to invest in the company's bonds.[16][17] Various assets, such as the Chief Auto Parts chain,[18] the ice division,[19] and hundreds of store locations,[20] were sold between 1987 and 1990 to relieve debt incurred during the buyout. This downsizing also resulted in numerous metropolitan areas losing 7-Eleven stores to rival convenience store operators. In October 1990, the heavily indebted Southland Corp. filed a pre-packaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy in order to transfer control of 70% of the company to Japanese affiliate Ito-Yokado.[21] Southland exited bankruptcy in March 1991, after a cash infusion of $430 million from Ito-Yokado and Seven-Eleven Japan. These two Japanese entities now controlled 70% of the company, with the founding Thompson family retaining 5 percent.[22] In 1999, Southland Corp. changed its name to 7-Eleven, Inc., citing the divestment of operations other than 7-Eleven.[23] In 2005, Seven-Eleven Japan made a tender offer and 7-Eleven, Inc. became its wholly owned subsidiary.[3] In 2007, Seven & i Holdings announced that it would be expanding its U.S. operations, with an additional 1,000 7-Eleven stores in the U.S. For the 2010 rankings, 7-Eleven climbed to the No. 3 spot in Entrepreneur magazine's 31st Annual Franchise 500, "the first and most comprehensive ranking in the world". This was the 17th year 7-Eleven was named in the top 10. Also in 2010, the first "green" 7-Eleven store opened in DeLand, Florida. The store features U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) elements. Also, the environmentally friendly design brings the store savings in energy costs. That same year, 7-Eleven went mobile with the launch of the Slurpee drink's iPhone and Android Application (App). The Slurpee drink app made it easy to find 7-Eleven stores and provides driving directions. The following year, 7-Eleven celebrated its 40,000th store opening and within two years of that milestone opened its 60,000th store. In 2020, 7-Eleven announced it would purchase Speedway for $21 billion.[24] In 2021, 7-Eleven rolled out a $70 million ad campaign, their largest investment in advertising in years, doubling their market spending from the previous year. The commercials, directed by Harmony Korine, are to reflect the "evolution" of the chain's store format, drawing attention to, in part, the fact that "this isn't just gas station food, there's real restaurant quality food at 7-Eleven", according to CMO Marissa Jarrantt.[25][26][27] 7-Eleven in the United States sells Slurpee[28] drinks, a partially frozen soft drink introduced in 1965 (Oklahoma's stores were known as Icy Drink until 2020[29]),[30] and Big Gulp beverages, introduced in 1976.[31][32] Other products include: 7-Select[33] private-brand products,[34] coffee, fresh-made daily sandwiches, fresh fruit, salads, bakery items, hot and prepared foods, gasoline, dairy products, carbonated beverages and energy drinks, juices, donuts, financial services, and product delivery services. 7-Eleven is known for its relatively large drink sizes and 24-hour accessibility. 7-Eleven offers beverages in sizes as large as 128 ounces (3785 mL) (Team Gulp). These beverage sizes were all among the largest sold soft drinks when they were introduced.[35] 7-Eleven has often been associated with these large sodas in popular culture. For example, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposed ban on large sodas in New York City was frequently referred to as the 'Big Gulp ban' (even though the ban wouldn't apply to 7-Eleven as convenience and grocery stores in New York are regulated by the state).[36] In 2012, 7-Eleven changed the size of the Double Gulp from 64 ounces to 50 ounces (1478 mL). The older style cups were too wide at the bottom and did not fit beverage holders in cars. This was not a reaction to the large soda ban proposal, according to a spokesperson.[37] In February 2020, they opened a cashierless location at the 7-Eleven headquarters in Irving, Texas.[38] On August 30, 2021, 7-Eleven and Thailand's CP Group opened the first 7-Eleven store in Phnom Penh’s Chroy Changvar district. The company hinted at plans to open at least six more stores in Phnom Penh in 2021.[39] According to plans, products from local small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) sold in 7-Eleven in Cambodia will comprise at least 50 percent of the stock. Hong Kong7-Eleven store in Shek Tong Tsui, Hong Kong 7-Eleven first opened in Hong Kong in 1981, when it was a British colony. As of July 2019[update], it operates as a subsidiary of the DFI Retail Group (formerly Dairy Farm International). It is popularly called tsat jai (七仔, meaning "little seven") or se fun (些粉, based on the English "seven"). As of 2012, 7-Eleven had 964 stores in Hong Kong, of which 563 were operated by franchisees.[40] Hong Kong reportedly has the second-highest density of 7-Eleven stores, after Macao. All 7-Eleven stores in Hong Kong accept the ubiquitous Octopus card as a method of payment.[41] They also accept payments for utility bills and public housing rent.[42] In November 1980, Southland Corporation and Hong Kong conglomerate Jardine Matheson signed a franchise agreement to bring 7-Eleven to the territory.[43] The first 7-Eleven shop opened in Happy Valley on April 3, 1981.[44][45] The chain expanded aggressively across Hong Kong throughout the 1980s. The 50th store opened in Kwai Chung on October 6, 1983, while the 200th was inaugurated by Simon Keswick at Tai Po Centre on May 7, 1987.[46][47] The stores were sold to Dairy Farm, part of the Jardine Matheson group, in 1989.[48] Octopus card readers were introduced in all 7-Eleven stores in July 1999, although at first these could only be used to add value to the card.[49][50] In September 2004, the number of locations in Hong Kong was substantially boosted when Dairy Farm acquired Daily Stop, a rival convenience store chain, from SCMP Retailing (HK). The chain's 84 shops, located mainly in MTR and Kowloon–Canton Railway stations (as well as shopping centers and housing estates), were converted to 7-Eleven stores.[51][52] In 2009, a 7-Eleven location in Quarry Bay opened with a hot food counter, called "7 Café", selling traditional Hong Kong street food and milk tea.[53] This feature was subsequently extended to select other 7-Eleven locations across Hong Kong under the "Daily Café" and "Hot Shot" brands. IndiaOn 7 October 2021, Reliance Retail announced its partnership with 7-Eleven to open its stores in India.[54] The announcement came a day after Future Group, another retail conglomerate, announced the end of its partnership with 7-Eleven, citing the inability to meet the target of opening stores and payment of franchisee fees. The first 7-Eleven in India opened in Mumbai on 9 October 2021 at Blue Fortuna, Military Road, Marol, Andheri East. Initially opened as a 24 hours outlet it was soon curtailed to shut its doors at 12:00am.[55] IndonesiaIn 2008, 7-Eleven announced plans to expand its business in Indonesia through a master franchise agreement with Modern Sevel Indonesia. Modern Sevel Indonesia's initial plans were to focus on opening stores in Jakarta, targeting densely populated commercial and business areas.[56] There were 190 7-Eleven stores in Indonesia as of 2014[update] which then reduced to only 166 stores in September 2016. 7-Eleven then closed its doors in Indonesia in 2017,[57] citing low sales. IsraelIn October 2021, it was announced throughout Israeli media that 7-Eleven signed a contract with the company Electra Consumer Products, a division of Israeli company "Electra", and will open their first location in the country in 2022, in Dizengoff Square. It was also announced that tens of additional locations will open in the next three years. JapanJapan's first 7-Eleven store in Kōtō, Tokyo opened in May 1974 Japan has more 7-Eleven locations than anywhere else in the world, where they often bear the name of its holding company Seven & i Holdings. Of the 71,000 stores around the globe, 21,215 stores (nearly 30% of global stores) are in Japan,[58] with 2,824 stores in Tokyo alone.[59] On September 1, 2005, Seven & I Holdings Co., Ltd., a new holding company, became the parent company of 7-Eleven, Ito-Yokado, and Denny's Japan. As of July 2019[update], 7-Eleven has stores in all 47 prefectures of Japan with the opening of 14 new locations in Okinawa Prefecture.[60] The aesthetics of the store are somewhat different from that of 7-Eleven stores in other countries as the stores offer a wider selection of products and services. 7-Eleven stores in Japan are also popular among tourists from other countries, as the Seven Bank ATM machines at branches will accept foreign debit and credit cards for withdrawing cash in Japanese yen.[61] Following the example of other convenience stores in Japan, 7-Eleven has solar panels and LEDs installed in about 1,400 of its stores.[62] In July 2019, 7-Eleven launched then almost immediately suspended a mobile payment service, 7pay. The service was hacked upon launch, and attackers were able to spend money from affected customers' accounts.[63] LaosOn August 31, 2020, 7-Eleven and Thailand's CP Group announced a 30-year master franchise agreement. The first Laotian 7-Eleven is expected to open in the country's capital, Vientiane, in 2022.[64][65][66][67][68] Macau7-Eleven entered the Macau market in 2005 under the ownership of Dairy Farm, the same conglomeration group operating Hong Kong's 7-Eleven. With only 25.9 square kilometers, Macau has 45 stores, making it the single market with the highest density of 7-Eleven stores, containing one store per 0.65 square kilometers. Mainland ChinaA 7-Eleven store in Beijing, China 7-Eleven opened its first store in China in Shenzhen, Guangdong in 1992 and later expanded to Beijing in 2004, Tianjin and Shanghai in 2009, Chengdu[69] in 2011, Qingdao in 2012, Chongqing in 2013, Hangzhou and Ningbo in 2017, Nanjing in 2018, and Wuhan, Xi'an, and Fuzhou in 2019. In China's 7-Eleven stores where Slurpees are offered, the Chinese name 思乐冰 (sīlèbīng) is used. They also offer a wide array of warm food, including traditional items like steamed buns, and stores in Chengdu offer a full variety of onigiri (饭团). Beverages, alcohol, candy, periodicals, and other convenience items are available as well. The majority of these stores are open for 24 hours a day. As of September 2021, 7-Eleven has 2,582 stores in Mainland China.[70] MalaysiaA 7-Eleven store in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Malaysian 7-Eleven stores are owned by 7-Eleven Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., which operates 2,225 stores nationwide. 7-Eleven in Malaysia was incorporated on June 4, 1984, by the Antah holding, The first 7-Eleven store was opened in October 1984, in Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.[71][72] PhilippinesIn the Philippines, 7-Eleven was run by the Philippine Seven Corporation (PSC). Its first store, located at the corner of EDSA and Kamias Road in Quezon City, opened on February 29, 1984. On May 2, 1996, the stockholders of both PSC and PSPC approved the merger of the two companies to advance PSC group's expansion. On October 30, 1996, Securities and Exchange Commission approved the merger and PSPC was then absorbed by PSC as the surviving entity. In 2000, President Chain Store Corporation (PCSC) of Taiwan, also a licensee of 7-Eleven, purchased the majority shares of PSC and thus formed a strategic alliance for the convenience store industry within the area. In February 2009, 7-Eleven has signed a non-exclusive contract with Chevron Philippines to open its stores in selected Caltex gas stations nationwide.[73] In 2012, they opened their first store outside of Luzon in Cebu City, which soon expanded to the other parts of Cebu as well as its neighboring provinces.[73] It was followed with the branch openings in Bacolod City in 2013, Iloilo City in 2014, Davao City in 2015, and Cagayan de Oro City in 2016. The number of stores eventually spread from these major cities to smaller towns and provinces near them. In February 2020, 7-Eleven and GCash, the mobile wallet of Alipay and Globe, have teamed up for the introduction of a new payment option for physical purchases: scan-to-pay (STP) via a barcode feature in the GCash app. This enables the customers to generate their unique barcodes through the GCash app and allow the cashier to scan their barcodes to complete the transaction.[74] In 2020, due to the effect of COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, the Philippine Seven Corporation (PSC) slashed the store openings to 200 from the original 400 stores planned to be open due to financial difficulties from the growing pandemic situation.[75] On July 11, 2021, coinciding with the 94th founding anniversary of the convenience store chain, 7-Eleven Philippines opened its 3,000th store in Meycauayan, Bulacan.[76] SingaporeIn Singapore, 7-Eleven forms the largest chain of convenience stores island-wide. There are 393 7-Eleven stores in the country as of February 2018. Stores in Singapore are operated by Dairy Farm International Holdings, franchised under a licensing agreement with 7-Eleven Incorporated. The first 7-Eleven store in Singapore was opened along Upper Changi Road in 1983, and in 1986 the first franchised 7-Eleven store (under the Jardine Matheson Group) was opened. The license was then acquired by Cold Storage Singapore, a subsidiary of the Dairy Farm Group, in 1989. In 2006, Shell Singapore and 7-Eleven agreed to rebrand all 68 of its Shell Select convenience stores into 7-Eleven. The partnership was terminated in October 2017, and the remaining 52 7-Eleven stores in Shell petrol stations will be gradually rebranded back into Shell Select.[77] South Korea7-Eleven store in Yeonje-gu, Busan, South Korea 7-Eleven has a major presence in the Republic of Korea convenience store market, where it competes with CU (store), GS25 (formerly LG25), and independent competitors. There are 11,067 7-Eleven stores in the Republic of Korea; with only Japan and Thailand hosting more stores. The first 7-Eleven store in the Republic of Korea opened in 1989 in Songpa-gu in Seoul with a franchise license under the Lotte Group. In January 2010, Lotte Group acquired the Buy the Way convenience store chain and rebranded its 1,000 stores under the 7-Eleven brand. In 2021, 7-Eleven announced that it would be working with a South Korean nonprofit to create jobs and franchising opportunities for North Korean defectors in South Korea.[78] TaiwanTwo 7-Eleven stores at the same intersection in Xindian District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 7-Eleven is the largest convenience store chain In Taiwan, and is owned by President Chain Store Corporation under Uni-President Enterprises Corporation. The first fourteen stores opened in 1979, and struggled to make a profit. Southland Corporation partnered with Uni-President to modernize the stores. However, business was still slow, and Uni-President opted to stock Asian foods. In 1986, 7-Eleven made its first profit in Taiwan.[79] The 5,000th store was opened in July 2014.[80] In January 2018, an experimental and unstaffed shop branded the X-Store was opened.[81] 7-Eleven announced plans to operate a combination store in partnership with Domino's Pizza in February 2019.[82][83] A 7-Eleven clock featuring cartoons of Open-Chan (right) and his friends (left) In the early 2000s, 7-Eleven and Dentsu introduced a corporate mascot named Open-Chan (Open 小將), an extraterrestrial dog who wears a rainbow-shaped crown from a fictional planet known as Planet Open to be a "cartoon spokesperson" for the store chain in Taiwan. Open-Chan quickly grew in popularity among Taiwanese children soon after its initial debut.[84][85] After Open-Chan's subsequent rise to prominence in Taiwan, the character was even introduced in Japan.[86] Thailand7-Eleven, Sukhumvit Soi 13, Bangkok, Thailand The first Thai 7-Eleven opened in 1989 on Patpong Road in Bangkok. The chain consists of both company-owned (45%) and franchised shops (55%).[87] CP ALL Public Company Limited is the 7-Eleven owner and franchisor in Thailand. As of July 2020[update], there were 11,983 stores in Thailand, employing 170,000.[87] In 2018, 7-Eleven generated 335,532 million baht in income for CP.[87][88] 7-Eleven holds a 70% market share in the convenience store category, opposed by some 7,000 other convenience stores (e.g., FamilyMart) and 400,000 "mom and pop" shops.[87][89] Thailand has the second largest number of 7-Eleven stores after Japan.[90] In an effort to reduce plastic pollution the parent company of 7-Eleven stores in Thailand, CP All Public Company, announced their intent in November 2018 to reduce and eventually end the use of single-use plastic bags.[91] As of January 2020[update], 7-Eleven—along with 42 other Thai retailers—will stop giving single-use plastic bags to customers.[92] United Arab EmiratesSeven & I Holdings announced in June 2014 that they had agreed a contract with Seven Emirates Investment LLC to open the first Middle Eastern 7-Eleven in Dubai, United Arab Emirates during the summer of 2015.[93][94][95] The company also said that they had plans to open about 100 stores in the country by the end of 2017.[93][95] The first store was opened in October 2015. The country has 13 stores as of January 2018. VietnamThe first 7-Eleven store in Vietnam opened in 2017, making Vietnam the 17th country to host the world's largest convenience store chain. Seven System Vietnam (SSV) is the Master Franchisee of the 7-Eleven convenience store system in Vietnam, based in Ho Chi Minh City. EuropeNorway7-Eleven has been established in Norway since 13 September 1986, when the first store opened in Oslo. In 2004 Reitan Convenience, a branch of the Norwegian Reitan Group bought the rights to use the 7-Eleven brand in Norway, Sweden and Denmark and since then has massively grown the number of operating shops in Scandinavia. Sweden7-Eleven entered Sweden in March 1984 with their first branch in Stockholm. Reitan acquired the brands right after 1997, and now has almost 200 stores throughout Sweden. Denmark7-Eleven store in Strøget, Copenhagen, Denmark The first 7-Eleven store in Denmark was opened at Østerbro in Copenhagen on September 14, 1993. There are 183 stores, mostly in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, and Odense, including eight stores at Copenhagen Central Station. In Denmark, 7-Eleven has an agreement with Shell, with a nationwide network of Shell/7-Eleven service stations, and an agreement with DSB to have 7-Eleven stores at most S-train stations. Former locationsUnited KingdomDuring the 1980s, 7-Eleven convenience stores were based in London and the South East of England. The first shop opened in Sydenham, South East London in 1985. The United Kingdom had 57 7-Eleven stores when it was sold to Budgens in October 1997.[96][97] The company announced in 2014 they had planned to return to the UK market,[98] but this did not progress beyond its announcement. In 2019, the company announced again it had planned to return, but as of July 2022 no stores had been opened.[96] North AmericaCanadaA 7-Eleven store with petrol station in Calgary, Alberta, Canada The first 7-Eleven store to open in Canada was in Calgary, Alberta, on June 29, 1969. There are 640 7-Eleven stores in Canada as of 2017[update].[99] Winnipeg, Manitoba, has the world's largest number of Slurpee consumers, with an estimated 1,500,000 Slurpees sold since the first 7-Eleven opened on March 21, 1970.[100] All 7-Eleven locations in Canada are corporate operated.[101] Like its U.S. counterparts every July 11 the stores offer free Slurpees on "7-Eleven Day". A limited number of 7-Eleven locations feature gas stations from Shell Canada, Petro-Canada, or Esso. In November 2005, 7-Eleven started offering the Speak Out Wireless cellphone service in Canada. 7-Eleven locations also featured CIBC ATMs—in June 2012, these machines were replaced with ATMs operated by Scotiabank. 7-Eleven abandoned the Ottawa, Ontario, market in December 2009 after selling its six outlets to Quickie Convenience Stores, a regional chain. Following concerns over the fate of Speak Out Wireless customers, Quickie offered to assume existing SpeakOut customers and phones into its Good2Go cellphone program.[102][103] 7-Eleven is similarly absent from the Quebec market due to its saturation by chains like Alimentation Couche-Tard and Boni-soir, and by independent dépanneurs. In March 2016, 7-Eleven acquired 148 Imperial Oil-owned Esso gas stations in Alberta and British Columbia for C$2.8 billion. Most of their convenience stores were converted to 7-Eleven stores, and they remain supplied by Esso. Some locations were not converted to 7-Eleven; these locations operate under the transitional banner "smartstop 24/7" with their existing store formats, typically inherited from the previous On the Run chain.[104][105] MexicoA 7-Eleven store in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico In Mexico, the first 7-Eleven store opened in 1976 in Monterrey in association with Grupo Chapa (now Iconn) and 7-Eleven, Inc. under the name Super 7. In 1995, Super 7 was renamed to 7-Eleven, which now has 1,835 stores in several areas of the country. When stores are located within classically designed buildings (such as in Centro Histórico buildings) or important landmarks, the storefront logo is displayed in monochrome with gold or silver lettering. United StatesA 7-Eleven store cobranded with Gulf Oil for gasoline sales in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, U.S. in 2010, having previously been a Citgo with the 7-Eleven. This store switched to Marathon for fuel sales in 2021 while remaining with 7-Eleven. Supermarket News ranked 7-Eleven's North American operations No. 11 in the 2007 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers," based on the 2006 fiscal year estimated sales of US$15.0 billion.[106] Based on the 2005 revenue, 7-Eleven is the 24th largest retailer in the United States.[107] As of 2013[update], 8,144 7-Eleven franchised units exist across the United States. Franchise fees range between US$10,000 – $1,000,000 and the ongoing royalty rate varies.[108] 7-Eleven America has its headquarters in the Cypress Waters development in Irving, Texas.[109][110] Small-size Slurpees are free on "7-Eleven Day", on July 11. This holiday first became widely celebrated on July 11, 2008, when first discovered by J. Brabank and C. Johnson. One exception is 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused that year's cancellation. 7 Rewards members get a free medium Slurpee in their app to use in July that year. 7-Eleven Stores of Oklahoma operated independently beginning in 1953 under an agreement with the Brown family.[111] As part of this franchise agreement, 7-Elevens in Oklahoma bore slight differences to stores elsewhere: for instance, products such as Big Bite hot dogs were not sold there, the Slurpee was branded as the "Icy Drink", and Oklahoma stores operated their own loyalty program called "Thx!", which did not intersect with the national 7Rewards system. On March 2, 2020, 7-Eleven, Inc. announced it had officially closed on the acquisition of over 100 of these independently operated 7-Eleven stores in Oklahoma. All of these 100 stores were in the greater Oklahoma City metropolitan area. This acquisition increased the total number of 7-Eleven stores in the US and Canada to nearly 9800. Following the purchase, the Oklahoma 7-Elevens were fully integrated into national branding, marketing, and loyalty campaigns.[112][113] In April 2021, 7-Eleven launched the "Take it to Eleven" ad campaign. The slogan was partially inspired by the chain's name, but also the term "up to eleven" made popular in the film This is Spinal Tap. The slogan was only for the main 7-Eleven brand and not A-Plus or Stripes.[114] FuelIn the U.S., many 7-Eleven locations used to have filling stations with gasoline distributed by Citgo, which in 1983 was purchased by Southland Corporation. 50% of Citgo was sold in 1986 to Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., and the remaining 50% was acquired 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, Shell, Chevron (some former TETCO convenience stores were co-branded with Chevron, and Texaco prior to the 7-Eleven purchase in late 2012), Sunoco, and Amoco. Conoco is the largest 7-Eleven licensee in North America.[115] The Pittsburgh market alone—where 7-Eleven is the market leader by store count but third behind Sheetz and GetGo in revenue—7-Eleven currently offers fuel from Exxon, Gulf, Marathon (both legacy 7-Eleven locations and Speedway), BP, and Sunoco (the latter two being from 7-Eleven's acquisitions of their company-owned-and-operated locations in the area) and also having previously offered Citgo and Pennzoil at some locations. In more recent years, some 7-Eleven locations sell 7-Eleven branded fuel without a Big Oil brand, much like 7-Eleven's primary rival Circle K has done in recent years. 7-Eleven signed an agreement with ExxonMobil in December 2010 for the acquisition of 183 sites in Florida. This was followed by the acquisition of 51 ExxonMobil sites in North Texas in August 2011.[116][117] On August 2, 2020, Seven & I Holdings announced to buy Speedway LLC for $21 billion.[118] The deal closed on May 14, 2021. 7-Eleven was ordered by U.S. antitrust regulators to divest 293 stores across 20 states. 124 stores were sold to Anabi Oil, 106 stores were sold to CrossAmerica Partners LP and 63 stores were sold to Jacksons Food Stores.[119] South AmericaBrazilIn Brazil, during the 1990s, 7-Eleven had 17 stores in the city of São Paulo in a joint venture between Esteve S.A. Exportadora and Southland Corporation,[120][121] but all closed due to high competition.[122][123] In 2018, the company entered into partnership talks to operate convenience stores at gas stations operated by Petrobras Distribuidora in the country, but this did not progress beyond.[124] OceaniaAustralia7-Eleven store in Melbourne, VIC, Australia The first 7-Eleven in Australia opened on August 24, 1977, in the Melbourne suburb of Oakleigh, Victoria. The majority of stores are located in metropolitan areas, particularly in central business district areas. Stores in suburban areas often operate as petrol stations and most are owned and operated as franchises, with a central administration. 7-Eleven bought Mobil's remaining Australian petrol stations in 2010,[125] converting them to 7-Eleven outlets, resulting in an immediate and unprecedented overnight major expansion of the brand. In South Australia all Mobil petrol stations were sold to Peregrine Corporation and branded as On the Run petrol stations.[126] 7-Eleven stores in Australia sell a wide range of items, including daily newspapers, drinks, confectionery, and snack foods. They sell gift cards, including three types of pre-paid Visa cards. The chain has partnered with Bankwest, placing an ATM in each of their stores nationwide. Each year on November 7, 7-Eleven promotes "7-Eleven Day" by giving away a free Slurpee to customers.[127] In April 2014, 7-Eleven announced plans to start operating stores in Western Australia, with 11 stores planned to operate within the first year and a total of 75 stores established within five years. The first store was opened on October 30, 2014, in the city of Fremantle.[128][129] The country has 675 stores as of January 2018. In April 2022, 7-Eleven Australia settled a class-action lawsuit from its franchisees for $A98 million, amid claims that it had misled franchisees about the profitability of its business model.[130] Wage theftIn August 2015, Fairfax Media and the ABC's Four Corners programme reported on the employment practices of certain 7-Eleven franchisees in Australia.[131][132] The investigation found that many 7-Eleven employees were being underpaid at rates of around A$10 to A$14 per hour before tax, well under the legally-required minimum award rate of A$24.69 per hour.[131] Franchisees underpaying their staff would typically maintain rosters and pay records that appeared to show the employee being paid the legally-required rate; however, these records only included half of the hours the employee actually worked in a week. Employees were then paid on the basis of these records, resulting in them effectively being paid half the legally-required rate.[131] It was also reported that workers were often not paid loadings and penalty rates that they are legally entitled to, for working overtime hours, nights, weekends, and public holidays.[131] After these reports came to light and received widespread attention, some employees had alleged to Fairfax Media that they had begun to be paid correctly through the 7-Eleven payroll system; however, they were then asked by the franchisee to pay back half their wages in cash.[133] 7-Eleven subsequently announced they would fund an inquiry to investigate instances of wage fraud. The inquiry was conducted by an independent panel chaired by former Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Allan Fels, and with the support of professional services firm Deloitte.[134] The inquiry invited submissions from current and former 7-Eleven employees who allege they have been underpaid, and assess each individual claim.[135] In September 2015, chairman Russ Withers and chief executive Warren Wilmot announced they were resigning from the company. Deputy chairman Michael Smith replaced Withers, while Bob Baily was appointed as interim chief executive.[136][137][138] The Four Corners investigation into 7-Eleven won a Walkley Award in 2015.[139] In December 2015, Stewart Levitt of law firm Levitt Robinson Solicitors, who featured prominently in the Four Corners program and the Dr Brendan French defamation case,[140] announced a potential class action lawsuit against 7-Eleven head office on behalf of franchisees who had allegedly been lured into signing on with 7-Eleven by false representations.[141] This action was mired itself in controversy after Levitt Robinson was forced to retract misleading statements in advertising to the franchisees.[142]
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