Convenience chain 7-Eleven expects to close hundreds of its locations this year, the AP reports. According to earnings filings published last week, 7-Eleven's North American operator plans to close 645 stores in the 2026 fiscal year—outpacing the 205 locations it forecasts it will open during that same time. Seven & i Holdings Co., the Japan-based parent of the convenience chain, noted that these closures "include the conversion to wholesale fuel stores." Financial documents show that 7-Eleven Inc. has steadily opened new wholesale fuel stores in North America over recent years, which accounted for more than 900 locations as of December 2025.
The company did not immediately explain the closures or specify which locations could be impacted. According to the company's website, there are over 86,000 7-Eleven stores across 19 countries today. 7-Eleven Inc., the brand's North American operator based in Texas, oversees more than 13,000 locations in the US and Canada. The convenience giant has closed hundreds of underperforming locations over the years, and the latest cuts arrive as higher prices strain consumers worldwide. The US and Israel's war against Iran has especially rattled energy markets, with drivers now facing soaring gas prices.
Consumers were facing stubborn inflation even before the war. In North America specifically, Seven & i noted in its April 9 report, "although the economy remained robust, personal consumption also began to soften" for the 2025 fiscal year—"particularly among low-income households, as inflation continued to weigh on spending." Openings for Seven & i subsidiaries outside of North America are set to outpace the stores they're closing—including Seven-Eleven Japan, which expects to close 350 stores and open 550 locations, per financial filings.
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