8 Hot Food Items To Buy At 7-Eleven And 7 To Avoid

What comes to mind when you think of 7-Eleven? Slurpees? Big Gulps? From its humble origins as a Texas convenience store almost a hundred years ago, 7-Eleven has transformed into a behemoth of global proportions with more locations than any other retailer in the world.

And that's thanks in no small part to its lineup of hot foods. Since many 7-Eleven locations are open all night, it's a great place for people on the go to grab a quick, cheap hot meal when they're on the road late. Walking into a 7-Eleven, you're bound to notice a variety of hot foods rolling round and round under a glass case on hot metal rollers, a sight unique to this chain of stores.

But with a long list of options to choose from, it can be hard to decide which hot foods from 7-Eleven to buy and which to avoid. I went to 7-Eleven and bought some of the shop's most iconic hot food items, judging them based on taste and value to decide which ones are worth eating.

Are you craving Mexican food? Let's taco bout it. The first thing I noticed when I laid eyes upon the basket of mini tacos from 7-Eleven was the sheer number of them that were piled high in the little paper boat. Ten tacos? It seemed almost unreasonable until I took a bite of one of these mini Mexican morsels and realized that they're actually pretty good!

Made with adorably tiny corn tortillas, these tacos are each filled with one tiny scoop of beef filling. The tortillas add an earthy, slightly charred flavor that complements the intense, salty, umami beef that they envelop. You might think it strange for a place like 7-Eleven to be serving Mexican food, but 7-Eleven just bought hundreds of Mexican restaurants, so they're poised to be a name associated with the cuisine. While these tacos only taste vaguely Mexican, each one packs a surprisingly big flavor.

If you described this sandwich as "crispy" on a witness stand, you'd be charged with perjury. There may have been a time when the titular breaded piece of chicken in this sandwich had some crunch to it, but that was long gone by the time it made its way to my plate. Part of the problem may be due to the fact that it was trapped in packaging made of paper and plastic that seemed impermeable to water. The humidity coming from the hot chicken probably got trapped and gave the breading a mealy, almost gooey texture.

The bun was too big and it was surprisingly dry considering how moist the piece of chicken was. It took up so much space in my mouth that it almost concealed the chicken at first, which I could only discern when I noticed a faintly peppery flavor emerge. The beige-on-beige color story was also less than appealing to look at, but was a truly accurate visual representation of a sandwich that was deeply mediocre.

If you're on the go and you need a hit of protein to fill your stomach when you stop for gas at a 7-Eleven, the chicken strips aren't a bad choice. For those who are wondering, there's a difference between chicken nuggets and chicken tenders (or strips as they call them at 7-Eleven). Nuggets are formed from crushed up chicken meat while these strips are formed from pieces of chicken. And it's a relief to rip one of these strips in half and behold the majesty of unadulterated white meat chicken.

Apart from the aesthetic implications, the breading on the strips was well seasoned. There were hints of pepper, onion, and garlic, and the crunch that it added to the chicken's exterior was a nice contrast to the chicken inside. The meat itself was a bit dry, which may have been because they were sitting out for too long, but it wasn't enough for me to write these strips off.

A chicken nugget is different from a breast or a wing in that it doesn't make up a part of a chicken's natural anatomy. Though a nugget is inherently unnatural, it doesn't mean it can't be delicious. A good chicken nugget is slightly crisp on the outside and has a mild, tender interior that goes well with the dipping sauce of your choice.

The nuggets from 7-Eleven, however, were neither crisp nor tender, and eating one left me in a philosophical mood about the deeper meaning of the chicken nugget and what it says about late-stage capitalism. But before I start quoting Nietzsche, let's talk about flavor. The outside of this nugget was underseasoned and the breading had been out for too long and was starting to become soggy. So instead of providing a nice contrast with the processed chicken interior, it just melded into one bland pellet that was so rubbery I could probably bounce it off the wall. It was a bit like a grocery store chicken nugget that had been forgotten on the counter. I only wish I could forget. I must admit, these sixteen nuggets were purchased for an eye-poppingly low price. But it was a case of "you get what you pay for."

A good chicken wing is not a subtle experience. Chicken wings were meant to hit you over the head with intense flavor, which is exactly what these wings do. While buffalo sauce is the most popular chicken wing flavor, these wings are spicy and sweet at the same time, giving them a flavor reminiscent of Korean-style fried chicken which is often made with sweet honey and spicy gochujang sauce.

The intense flavor aside, the chicken inside these wings was juicy and fell off the bone. The only issue was that the outside of the wings were a bit soggy and I assume they'd been sitting out for too long between the time they were made and the time I ate them. We all know that frozen prepared chicken wings are terrible, so if you're looking for a super convenient, affordable blast of flavor and protein, these might be the wings for you.

In Spanish, taquito is the diminutive of "taco," and although the taquitos at 7-Eleven bear little resemblance to their Mexican namesakes, they still retain the basic elements of tortilla, meat, and cheese. This form works better for some combinations of ingredients than it does for others, and the Monterrey Jack chicken taquito was an acceptable but forgettable taquito variation that was neither offensive nor delicious. Before I took a bite of this salty cylindrical snack, I cut it in half to get a look at the cross section, which featured a light brown tortilla exterior with off-white cheese and chicken bits mixed together.

It turns out this unremarkable color palette was a preview of the flavors within. Each element of this taquito (tortilla, chicken, and cheese) was too similar to the others to make the taquito more than just the sum of its parts. While none of the flavors were offensive, they just didn't create anything beyond a salty, savory, slightly greasy snack that, while it could fill a certain craving for a salty dog like myself, didn't make any particular impression. So if I were you, I'd skip it.

The cheeseburger at 7-Eleven is exactly the honest, no-frills cheeseburger you think it is. For a modest price, a savory red meat patty topped with American cheese and wedged between two buns can be yours for the eating. With meat prices on the rise, this cheeseburger is an affordable option for those who are in a hurry to get a mouthful of this classic snack.

The patty is well seasoned and tasted just a bit charred, as a burger should. The bun is a bit hefty for the size of the meat it carries, but the slice of cheese on top of it prevents the whole sandwich from becoming too dry. So watch out because 7-Eleven is coming for you, McDonald's. This burger rivals the ones served at the legendary fast food joint. Instead of being made to order, these burgers are served grab-and-go, so they're super convenient, but their quality diminishes with time spent sitting under the heat lamp.

As one of the most famous hot foods from 7-Eleven, I assumed the Quarter Pound Big Bite would be a shoe-in on the "buy" list. But just by looking at this hot dog, I knew something wasn't quite right. It didn't have the juicy shine of a quality sausage, instead it was a dark, dull brown, the color of an old leather shoe, and the outside had shriveled a bit from spending so much time on the hot roller.

Instead of having a nice charred flavor, the Big Bite had a tough, slightly crunchy outside. When I bit into it, it revealed a slightly more appetizing inside, but there was no saving this meaty monstrosity. I did have this sausage without condiments, and it would no doubt be improved with the addition of a hefty helping of ketchup, mustard, and relish to cover up the strange flavor and texture, all of which are available at 7-Eleven.

If 7-Eleven were an artist, chicken would be their medium of choice, and these chicken wings would be their Mona Lisa. After tasting a few duds in the lineup, I was thrilled when I bit into these crunchy wings. Unlike traditional chicken wings, which are fried solo and tossed in sauce, these wings are breaded and then fried, which made me a little nervous since some of the other breaded items on this list turned soggy. 

But these wings soared. They were crispy, flavorful, and packed just the right amount of heat to keep you wanting another bite. The breading was a bit thick, but it was seasoned well and added enough peppery, spicy flavor to make its presence worth it. And the chicken underneath it all was moist and fell apart in my mouth. Overall, these wings were a big win in the 7-Eleven chicken category.

If hot dogs and hamburgers are culinary cousins, the cheeseburger bite is their unholy lovechild. Simply put, this snack is a cheeseburger served in the form of a hot dog. But instead of a patty topped with melted cheese and placed between two hamburger buns, the cheese flavor is found throughout the cooked cylinder of hamburger meat that fills a hot dog bun.

Since a cheeseburger is already a handheld food that's designed to be easy to consume, I can't discern the reason for changing it into a hot dog shape. Also, the fact that the meat and cheese elements are physically separated in a cheeseburger gives the sandwich a textural interest that the cheeseburger bite lacks. The cheesy flavor is present, but without its form it feels like your mouth is being haunted by the stale ghost of cheddar. The meat itself was also dry and needs a heavy helping of condiments like ketchup and mustard to keep it moist enough to enjoy pleasantly.

7-Eleven isn't exactly known for catering to vegetarians. The hot food offerings at this legendary grab-and-go establishment are overwhelmingly meat-centric, but my the jalapeño and cheese taquito satisfied my craving for a quick, salty snack without any meat at all.

Let's go from the outside in. The taquito is tightly rolled in a tortilla and then fried, which gives it a crunchy exterior with a slightly earthy flavor. Biting down on the taquito reveals an interior of melted white cheese and specks of bright green jalapeños. The mild, salty cheese has the soft texture of cream cheese, not the stretchy rubberiness of a mozzarella that I was expecting. The muted zing of the cheese contrasts nicely with the piquant sharpness of the jalapeños, which provide flavor, but don't bring too much heat. If you're looking for a vegetarian option at 7-Eleven that packs a strong, savory punch of well-balanced flavor, I'd reach for a cheese and jalapeño taquito.

When I first bit into the steak and cheese taquito, I couldn't tell which taquito I was eating, which was not a good sign. A taquito should feature a pronounced textural difference between its interior and exterior, but the outside of the taquito didn't add the characteristic taquito crunch I was looking for. It was soft and soggy, and I'm not sure whether this undesirable texture is inherent to this taquito or whether the one I was served had simply spent too long on the hot roller.

Neither steak nor cheese was discernible in the taquito's mushy interior. The meat was chopped up into tiny pieces and was so salty and mixed in with the gooey cheese that it didn't have much of a flavor beyond salty and savory. I'm typically a big fan of a taquito, but this one didn't leave me hankering for more.

Before I sank my teeth into one of these roasted wings, I had my doubts. Shouldn't wings always be fried? Is a roasted wing but an insult to the great snack food institution that is the chicken wing? I am, however, thrilled to report that baked chicken wings are just as good. These roasted chicken wings are still chicken wings.

While these wings aren't bursting with spicy, salty flavor like the buffalo wings you may be used to at your local bar, they deliver a nicely seasoned punch of savory flavor. The wings are slow roasted, so the chicken stays super moist and slides right off the bone when you bite it. This is a perfect snack for wing lovers who don't like the intense spicy flavor of buffalo sauce. And the neutrality of these wings allows you to choose your own adventure with a variety of sauces that you can buy on the side at 7-Eleven.

When I took a bite of this buffalo chicken roller, I found myself wishing it had kept on rolling out of my life. The red-orange color does tempt the buffalo sauce lovers of the world, of which I am one. But biting into this roller reveals a Buffalo flavor that's not intense enough to cover up the taste of the heavily processed chicken that lurks beneath the crimson exterior. 

The texture of the chicken is so tough and rubbery and at first I thought it might be mozzarella cheese. The chicken inside the roller was not seasoned well, and I was surprised at the lack of saltiness given the high sodium content of many of the other hot foods. I typically expect buffalo flavored foods to be loaded with intense flavor, but this Buffalo chicken roller was both flavorless and a textural nightmare. Avoid at all costs.

A taquito is a Mexican specialty, so it stands to reason that the medium works well with the cuisine's distinct flavors. The beef taco and cheese taquito featured shredded beef and cheese, and the interior was seasoned with savory spices that made it taste vaguely like a Mexican taco.

The strong, intense flavor of the taquito's meaty filling contrasted nicely with the light crunch of the tortilla that was wrapped around it. Of all the taquitos I tried, this one was the crunchiest and I could hear it when I cut it in half with a knife. It was also the closest to an authentic taquito flavor. The only things that were missing were some sour cream, guacamole, and salsa to dip this crunchy delicacy into. If you're looking for a hot food from 7-Eleven that tastes Mexican, this taquito is your best bet.

When choosing which hot foods to try from 7-Eleven, I knew I needed to include signature items like the Quarter Pound Big Bite and some taquitos. I grew up on 7-Eleven, and while I was familiar with some of the hot food section's standbys, I also wanted to choose some hot foods that I hadn't tried. I bought a few spicier items and some with international origins so that I had a diverse flavor profile. 

Once I had a lineup that featured burgers, hot dogs, taquitos, chicken wings, and more, the taste test began. While I was looking for value and nutrition, the most important aspect I was judging for was good flavor. I wanted to rate these foods based on what would be an easy, convenient, satisfying meal at any hour of the day, which is what people are often looking for when they grab a hot bite at 7-Eleven.