Convenience stores are a huge part of daily life in Japan. You cant walk 5 minutes in the city without passing one! People visit them to get a meal, grab a drink, or even pay their bills. But did you know that convenience stores have a very, very different image in Canada?
Japanese convenience stores are clean and efficient, with a lot of delicious and high quality food and products. But in Canada, convenience stores are seen as some of the dirtiest and overpriced stores in existence. Many products, such as a snacks or drinks, are sold for double or triple the price of a grocery store! Furthermore, most Canadians wouldn’t even dream of eating a convenience store bento, unless they were trying to get food poisoning.
The three major convenience stores in Japan are 7/11, FamilyMart, and Lawson. Of these, only 7/11 exists in Canada – there are no FamilyMarts or Lawsons anywhere! If you walked into a Canadian 7/11, you may be very surprised. You cant pay your bills, buy alcohol, or buy fresh food. The most famous product at 7/11 in Canada is called the Slurpee – a drink made of ice and soda.
