Convenience giant 7-Eleven is rolling out a Japanese-style egg salad sandwich at participating stores across the country — including 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes. The launch draws direct inspiration from the sandwiches stocked daily in 7-Eleven locations throughout Japan, where the tamago sando has long enjoyed a loyal following among locals, travelers, and food enthusiasts alike.

The sandwich is intentionally simple: soft, pillowy milk bread and a rich, creamy egg salad made with Kewpie mayonnaise. Milk bread, often called shokupan, is an enriched white loaf with a fine, cotton-soft crumb that compresses without turning gummy, which is why it works well with a creamy filling. Kewpie mayonnaise is yolk-forward, offering a round, umami-leaning tang compared to many U.S. mayos. “The egg salad sandwich has long been a favorite item in 7-Eleven stores across Japan,” said Brandon Brown, senior vice president of fresh foods at 7-Eleven, Inc.

In 2024, a thread on the r/7eleven subreddit questioned early U.S. attempts at a 7-Eleven egg salad sandwich, raising concerns about the bread texture and the filling’s consistency. The new recipe seems designed to address those critiques head-on: swapping standard loaves for shokupan and committing to the yolk-heavy Kewpie profile to better mirror the authentic tamago sando.

In a recent interview with NHK WorldJeff Lenard, vice president of the National Association of Convenience Stores, said that interest in Japanese konbini food has surged in the U.S., driven by travel videos, social media, and the way people share those moments online. That visibility has raised the bar for what Americans expect from convenience-store food.

The timing is right. Japanese convenience-store food has captured the American imagination for years, propelled by travel videos, airport layover vlogs, and a steady fascination with konbini culture. Japan’s convenience sector is sizable, and ready-to-eat foods continue to grow, according to a 2025 report from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. This context helps explain why a chilled, grab-and-go sandwich feels like a logical next move.

This release also aligns with a broader shift at 7-Eleven: the company has been moving U.S. stores toward a Japanese-style convenience model, with greater emphasis on fresh, ready-to-eat items and tighter quality control. The egg salad sandwich is a telling test of that promise.

Early reactions have already surfaced on Instagram, where creator Jeremy Jacobowitz’s taste test has drawn a wave of comparisons to versions sold in Japan. Many commenters immediately pointed out the crusts, with one writing, “the whole point is the crusts off tho?” while others questioned the bread’s thickness and the U.S. price point. At the same time, several people said they were glad to see 7-Eleven making a more serious effort this time, calling it closer than past attempts and saying they planned to try it themselves to see how closely it mirrors a true tamago sando.

With a chilled sandwich like this, the success of the execution depends on the basics: reliable suppliers, consistent production, and strong food safety practices across stores. “In the U.S., we partner with trusted local suppliers and commissaries, such as Warabeya, a premier fresh food manufacturer and supplier that we identified based on their original support of Seven-Eleven Japan and 7-Eleven Hawaii,” said a 7-Eleven spokesperson.

To maintain that quality at scale, the representative noted that the chain relies on a network of local commissaries and bakeries that operate under strict food safety protocols and routine audits to ensure consistency across locations.

The Japanese-style egg salad sandwich is now available at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes locations. Availability varies by store, with wider distribution expected to follow.