Convenience Store Showdown
By Kyle Patrick Long
They’re a vital part of one of the most important times of the day. Our bodies depend on them, and our minds are always mapping out the closest one in case of an urgent need. We’re not talking about toilets here; we’re talking convenience stores and all their delicious snacks, (sometimes) cold beverages and range of unflattering emergency underwear.
You never know just when you’re going to need something in a hurry. Thankfully in Shanghai there’s always an All Days, 7-Eleven, Family Mart, or Lawson’s (Buddies, Tomato, Kedi, C-Store…) around the corner. Equally important at all hours of the day, they are an integral part of an unbalanced diet and veritable late-night lifesavers when the chao mian ladies have packed up and gone home. They’re also a treasure trove of entertaining Chinglish products if you really just need a quick smile or to show a visitor a good time.
Official estimates put the number at over 5,000 convenience stores in Shanghai alone. There are approximately six Lawsons in as many blocks on Fuxing Xi Lu, according to an unofficial Talk census. With so many around town, it stands to reason that there’s potential to meet your significant other while cruising the aisles for a mid-day pick-me-up. Maybe when your eyes meet over a pre-packaged lunch set in the refrigerator aisle. Or while reaching for the last cold Bacardi Breezer. (All bets are off though if you don’t cede to the lady in that situation.)
But unlike men, not all convenience stores are created equal. To be fair, there isn’t even much consistency between branches of the same brand. That hasn’t stopped us from putting together a totally definitive listing of what makes these four Shanghai mainstays tops (and bottom).
So which brand are you loyal to? Here’s everything you probably already subconsciously know, but didn’t really know you knew, until now.
Lawson
One of the most prevalent around town (especially in the French Concession), this chain’s roots are traced back to an Ohio dairy farm. After myriad mergers and acquisitions, the chain was brought to Shanghai in a Japanese joint venture and offers a nice selection of international treats from around Asia.
For a cheap lunch hour treat, most Lawsons also have all the makings needed for a PB&J, in addition to the Chinese boxed lunch sets. Unfortunately for the commonwealth country expats, we have yet to find Nutella or Vegemite.
Another way to spice up your lunch hour at Lawsons? Try the canned Chardonnay, available for about RMB 7. Just add a couple slices of fresh fruit for a makeshift sangria. Bonus tip: you can drink it at your desk to get you through until happy hour because from a glance it looks like a can of soda.
The Good: Consistently has bags of ice, chocolate VitaSoy milk (did we mention we’re addicted?) and a range of delicious Korean canned juices.
The Bad: “Sushi” that is mayonnaise and ham-filled? No thanks.
The WTF?!: Shanghai residents have made this a party hotspot.
7-Eleven
Banking on friendly customer service and international expertise, 7-Eleven stores are popping up all over the city. It has been operating with success in Beijing since 2005 after a government ruling paved the way for fully foreign funded retail chains to open franchises in the mainland. A Hong Kong venture had already been operating more than 100 stores as a joint venture in Guangdong province.
Domestic competitors might have been right to fear the competition, as the stores have a bit of a classier feel. Some of the stores seem almost empty when compared to its hoarder cousin All-Days, but it does manage to fit in some tasty, and random items, as well as popular hot lunch options. And Slurpees.
Ah yes, the Slurpees. American expats rejoiced in the news that 7-Eleven would be here in time for the scorching summer days, but alas, only a few of the stores actually have the machines. And you can’t actually pour the Slurpee yourself. You must purchase the cup, and the designated Slurpee-pouring attendant will do it for you. This feels more than a little insulting.
The Good: A line of surprisingly delicious astronaut-style freeze dried fruit. And of course, the Slurpee machine, if you get lucky.
The Bad: It’s almost too clean and uncluttered. Something seems…wrong.
The WTF?!: A small shrink-wrapped pallet, complete with soil and seeds for grow-at-home strawberries on your windowsill.
All-Days
Perhaps the most ubiquitous of them all, All-Days trends toward being the more Chinese of the stores, what with it’s super-cluttered aisles, random boxes everywhere and low, low prices. Which makes sense, as it’s the only homegrown brand amongst the other top-tier convenience store candidates, which are of Japanese or vaguely US origin.
All-Days will inevitably tempt (or haunt) you with the bubbling mixture of tofu and mixed meats on a stick at the checkout counter. You’ll always find a cup of noodles or a tall cold beer, and the best array of vacuum packed peanuts here. A ubiquitous choice that definitely caters more to the English teacher on a budget than the high-class canned wine aficionados.
The Good: Corn and pork jiaozi in the freezer aisle.
The Bad: Six pairs of underwear to choose from is at least five too many. That’s taking up valuable candy-aisle space.
The WTF?! Employees sleeping on cardboard in the aisles late at night.
FamilyMart
FamilyMart is one of Shanghai’s most ubiquitous chains. But despite its ‘family’ establishment status, we’ve all seen the intense array of pleasure-related items at the check out. Usually known as impulse buys, these are the cheap things you pick up while you’re paying – gum, candies, maybe a Chupa-Chups. Not at FamilyMart. They know you don’t want to carry around the Durex brand vibrator while you pick up milk for the kids, so they’ve put that right in there with the impulse buys. Genius.
Not content to stop at a wide selection of adult toys and a range of liquor bottles, they’ve gone and one-upped the other chains by offering ‘Cool Cups’ in the freezer section. Plastic cups, pre-packed with ice, just waiting for some mixers and the good stuff. Add in China’s lax public intoxication laws, and who needs bars?
FamilyMart also gets bonus points for its array of healthful and seasonal snacks. (Side note: the only season at Buddies is disappointment.) For lunch, FamilyMart actually carries decent salads and has pre-washed and cut fruit like apples and melon cups.
The Good: Low-sugar VitaSoy Chocolate soymilk, fresh and healthy lunch selections
The Bad: No cigarette sales here, though you can get e-cigarette cartridges. Word to the wise, the sauce-heavy re-heatable chicken sandwiches and hamburgers do not sit well.
The WTF?!: The 11-note tune that usually plays when the sliding doors open. Our heart goes out to the cashiers who hear that all day.
