Food & Beverage

Can c-stores compete with pizzerias? 7-Eleven bets on better pizza

Photo: 7-Eleven

September 22, 2026 by Valerie Gritton

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7-Eleven is continuing to invest in its prepared food portfolio, introducing an upgraded pizza crust and new customization options as it looks to make its stores a destination for meals, not just snacks and beverages.

The Irving, Texas-based convenience store giant has rolled out a new pizza crust and flavor bar, giving customers more ways to customize their slices with sauces, crunchy garnishes and traditional toppings.

The pizza upgrades are part of a broader investment in the company's hot food offerings, which includes improvements to existing products and the introduction of new menu items, such as larger boneless wings with seasoned breading and a chargrilled Angus Double Cheeseburger served on a brioche bun.

The company is pairing the pizza upgrades with limited-time value offers across participating 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes stores nationwide, using football season as an opportunity to introduce customers to the new crust and position pizza as a convenient option for everything from individual meals to game day gatherings

Consumer research drives crust innovation

For 7-Eleven, the decision to revisit its pizza crust was driven by consumer research that revealed how much the foundation of a pizza influences the overall eating experience.

"Through consumer research, we learned that crust plays an outsized role in pizza enjoyment, with customers expressing a want for a light, bubbly texture from our pizza," Brandon Brown, senior vice president, Fresh Foods and Beverages at 7-Eleven, Inc., told Pizza Marketplace in response to emailed questions about the company's pizza program

Those findings informed the development of a golden crust featuring a crisper exterior and light, airy interior, designed to complement the chain's existing pizza toppings, he said.

The new crust arrives as pizza continues to play an important role in 7-Eleven's hot food business.

Brown said pizza is its most popular hot food item, with more than 218 million slices sold last year.

"That's more than six slices every second throughout the year," Brown said. "While we don't have a percentage of food sales or historical sales trends to share, pizza is our most popular hot food among customers, and our hot foods category has accelerated food growth across the company. We also see pizza resonate particularly well with Gen Z, and three out of four customers say 7-Eleven pizza delivers great value."

Value offers encourage trial of new crust

To introduce the new crust, 7-Eleven is offering several limited-time deals aimed at customers looking for an affordable meal or a shareable option for football watch parties.

Customers can mix and match two pizza slices for $5 or purchase any whole large pizza for $6.99 through the 7NOW Delivery app.

Members of the company's 7Rewards and Speedy Rewards loyalty programs can also purchase a slice and a 20-ounce bottled soft drink for $4. For customers feeding a larger group, loyalty members can add eight boneless wings for $3 with the purchase of any whole pizza.

"We want customers to have an easy and affordable way to try the new crust, which led us to introduce deals tied to our new pizza offerings," Brown said.

The bundled offers also reflect the different occasions driving pizza purchases at 7-Eleven.

Brown said approximately half of its pizza trips involve customers purchasing a snack and a drink, often pairing a slice with a soft drink. Whole pizzas, meanwhile, appeal to customers looking for a more substantial meal.

"Overnight shoppers are more than three times as likely to purchase a whole pizza, while about half of pizza trips are snack-and-drink occasions, often pairing a slice with a soft drink." the company said. "And sometimes, pizza becomes an event in itself. On Pi Day, for example, we sell 13 times more whole pizzas than on any other day."