11 reasons why I love 7-11. in no particular order.
1. Hot dogs, corn dogs, sausages, pretty much anything that fits on that long warming contraptions with the little drums. Everyone say it with me, yummmmy. . . .nitrates. Nothing says healthy like your weekly supply of nitrate laden processed meat in one sitting.
2. It's open 24 hours a day. Actually 7-11 is named 7-11 because those were the original hours that they were open. 7am to 11pm. Somewhere along the line they changed it, much to the enjoyment of night owls, homeless bums, cops and the other people that are awake at 4am. There's something reassuring in the fact that somewhere at 4am, there's a guy named Sanjay stocking the cooler with ice cold soda. (that was not a crack at the brown people of the world, at the 7-11 on Overland the dude's name was actually sanjay, and me and him were homies.)
3. Frozen Pizza. My friend steph swears by Tatino's frozen pizza, she says they ONLY sell it at 7-11. Along wtih a wide variety of candy bars, 7-11 has exclusive north american rights to many kinds of junk foods you can't find elsewhere. How amazing is that.
4. The coffee. Personally i don't drink coffee, i'm more a tea person (you know for the anti-oxidants) but my dad swears by AM-PM coffee and 7-11 coffee. He says it's always hot, always fresh and the brew is pretty strong and always made with fresh ground beans. Sure AM-PM serves similar fair, but have you ever noticed that some AM-PMs lock you out in the late night hours hiding behind the bullet proof glass? Where's the trust and love baby? Where's the trust and love?
5. The Chip Aisle. Has anyone noticed that in many supermarkets these days the chip aisle has disappeared? I hate that all my partially hydrogenated transfat goodness has been dispersed to the ends of the aisles, instead of one centralized location. 7-11 sports one of the last few vestiges of what was once known as the mighty chip aisle. Sure it is not as grand as what it once was but like the mysterious Tasmanian Tiger, they're still not yet extinct.
6. Snapple diet peach iced tea in the 32 oz bottle. 7-11 is the only place that i've been able to find snapple diet peach iced tea in the 32oz bottle, all other places stock the 16oz version. There's something satisfying about having twice the amount of one of your favorite beverages. That probably also explains the widespread popularity of the Big Gulp, Super Big Gulp, Quadruple Big Gulp, and Bucket Gulp. I love me my liquids, and i love me lots of it.
7. The wonder that is the Slurpee, and beyond that the scientific wonder that is the Diet Slurpee. Now how is it a scientific wonder you may ask? Well let me tell you. Sugar by nature crystallizes very easily, thus all you have to do is find the right mix of sugary syrup (a lot of it), water, flavorings; combine with an agitator that keeps the liquid from freezing solid and voila, you have the wonder of the slurpee. You can vary the type of sugary syrup, ingredients and temperatures to create icees as well. Now creating a diet slurpee is considerably more difficult because artificial sweeteners don't crystallize as well, resulting in usually a solid chunk of diet ice. In fact 3 different types of artificial sweetener had to be used to create the correct mixture of ice crystallized slurpee goodness. And don't be amazed that I wrote that last paragraph completely without internet research, i'm that damn gifted.
8. Hostess powdered donettes in the five pack. Sure they also sell the deluxe box that is much more cost effective but there is something to be said about the palm sized goodness of the five pack. Just enough for a snack, not enough for a meal. Whenever i buy the box the last few ones at the bottom always get stale too. Here's an idea for you hostess, strike up a deal with GLAD and put them in those disposable tupperware things. Then, the stay-fresh goodness of tupperware will not be wasted on just leftovers and tasty morsels of home cooked food I bring back from Walnut.
9. Have a penny give a penny need a penny take a penny. Therein those twelve words represents all that is good in human kind, it is what separates chimp from man. And have you noticed that there is always a penny there?
10. Beer, condoms and cigarettes. I have a friend, who shall remain nameless, who one time was at a 7-11 picking up condoms and cigarettes. He goes to the cash register to pay, and he hears an "a-hem" from next to him. He looks over and is greeted with the shock and bewilderment of seeing his dad. After which he hurriedly pays for his items and goes about his way. Now I could say the moral of the story is, don't smoke and don't use condoms, but that would not be the responsible thing to do since smoking causes cancer and not using condoms just feels better. . . KIDDING. kinda. So my point to all this? Sometimes you need either beer, condoms and cigarettes at 1:59 am (can't sell alcohol after 2, but you can DRINK until whenever) there is always a place to go.
11. It's a piece of my childhood. My parents owned and operated a 7-11 until I was 13. You know Homer's dream of sticking his head under the squishy machine and letting the squishy flow into his mouth? I've done that with the slurpee machine, and let me just let you know, it's everything you imagine it to be. . . and more. I learned how to use a cash register before i turned 10. I've stocked coolers, made suicides at the soda fountain, eaten every form of candy ever imagined. 7-11 defined the first 13 years of my life. it's not just great, it's SO great.
this is what happens when you can't sleep. | 
