A Morning Walk to 7-Eleven: Video & Reflection
In Taiwan, you don’t just stop at a 7-Eleven, it’s where most things start.
This isn’t a gas station—it’s a convenience store. Like… for real. It’s designed to make everyday life easier. Need a bus pass or subway card? 7-Eleven. Want a tea egg (a nationally loved snack—hard-boiled eggs simmered in soy sauce and tea)? 7-Eleven. Meeting a friend for coffee? 7-Eleven. Need to pay a parking fine? 7-Eleven. Want to pick up some quick, fresh fruit or veggies for dinner? 7-Eleven. Need a place for a package delivery instead of your apartment? 7-Eleven.
Here are 7 amazing facts about these Taiwanese life hubs that make convenience stores a way of life:
1. There’s one on almost every block
Taiwan is home to over 10,000 convenience stores, with 7-Eleven alone operating more than 7,000 locations—on an island about one-quarter the size of Illinois. Mind-blowing, right?
2. The food is actually legit
Workers will toast sandwiches for you. You can get baked sweet potatoes, tea eggs, pre-made meals, noodles, soups, and refrigerators lined with fresh, packaged options—all available 24/7.
3. They have their own mascot (of course they do)
Meet Open-Chan—the adorable alien dog with a rainbow crown and the iconic orange and green branding. You’ll see him everywhere.
4. They even offer mobile service
Yep—you read that right. 7-Eleven runs its own mobile service (ibon mobile), and you can often set things up at an in-store kiosk without waiting in line.
5. They’re (almost) all open 24/7
Most locations are open around the clock. But since they’re literally everywhere—inside malls, train stations, hospitals, universities, and office buildings—some follow the hours of the buildings they’re in.
In more rural areas, a few stores may close overnight, but even then, they typically open earlier and stay open later than most businesses nearby.
6. People actually hang out there
Many locations have seating, so meeting friends at 7-Eleven is completely normal. While you’re in line (briefly), you’ll see everyone: business professionals, students coming and going from school, parents with young kids, elderly customers picking up daily essentials—and yes, even tourists wandering around wide-eyed (hi, that’s me).
7. It all makes sense when you understand Taiwan
7-Eleven’s growth is tied directly to Taiwan’s geography and population.
Taiwan is about the size of Maryland (or one-quarter the size of Illinois), but it has around 23 million people. On top of that, about 70% of the island is covered in mountains. The Central Mountain Range runs north to south, leaving most people concentrated in the flatter narrow coastal areas or basins at the base of these mountains.
That means cities are dense, space is limited, and convenience matters.
So as Taiwan’s population spread into suburban and rural communities, this model of hyper-convenient, community-centered stores spread with it.
My local 7-Eleven in MeiNong—a rural farming community—looks very different from the one next door to my first hotel in Taipei. But at their core, they serve the same purpose: creating a local hub for convenience and community where practicality and accessibility are unmatched.
MOMENTS THAT RESONATE
This morning, I took a walk to my local 7-Eleven. Here in MeiNong, that meant a brisk one-mile walk—before the sun and humidity became too intense. The outdoor kitchen at my B&B wasn’t quite open yet (in fact, in the video you can see the owners prepping the meal as I leave my room), and I was hungry… specifically for a banana. So off I went.
As I wandered, I decided to make a short video—a time-lapse of the countryside: roads lined with irrigation canals, rice fields, banana groves, and snowflake water lily ponds.
What I realized as I began writing this blog post is just how much 7-Eleven serves as a case study in Taiwanese cultural framing. Let me explain through a Global Resonance lens.
As I continue exploring Taiwan’s schools and communities, I’m beginning to see how access is built into everyday life here. Even something as simple as a convenience store reflects broader systems designed to support people efficiently and equitably.
It makes me wonder: what might education look like if everyone approached access with the same level of intentionality?
