I never thought I would be excited to buy an egg salad sandwich from a convenience store. But here we are. After months of waiting and monitoring, the Japanese-style egg salad sandwich has dropped at 7-Eleven. And I was there to get it. Okay, that’s not entirely true. I tried to get it in the morning but the 7-Eleven I went to didn’t have it. So, I asked one of my colleagues (who was already out picking up supplies) to grab one. She was successful. And I got to taste the spoils of her journey.
What’s the deal with this sandwich? Why does anyone care? It’s because the actual Japanese 7-Eleven egg salad sandwich (the tamago sando) is beloved. It is adored. It is worshipped. So the prospect of that level of sandwich coming to your corner 7-Eleven is a pretty big deal. But does this sandwich live up to its overseas inspo? I chowed down to find out.
New 7-Eleven Sandwich!
7-Eleven Japanese-Style Egg Salad Sandwich
Pros: This is a good convenience store egg salad sandwich. The milk bread-style bread is soft and sweet. The filling is creamy and well-seasoned (thanks to Kewpie mayo). I’m about to get pretty nitpicky in the “cons” section, but just know that this is an egg salad sandwich that I would buy again from 7-Eleven in America. And that sentence alone is high praise.
Cons: If we were just reviewing a new egg salad sandwich at 7-Eleven, I wouldn’t have too much to say in this section. But, since this is supposed to taste like the Japanese 7-Eleven tamago sando, there are definitely some issues. So, *rolls up sleeves,* let’s get into it. The original tamago sando has the crusts cut off. This American version does not. Big oversight. The original tamago sando is iconically very yolk-heavy. This version seems to use an equal amount of egg whites and egg yolks. The bread is a bit thicker than the Japanese version, as well, per Sporked’s Jordan Myrick, who has tasted the original tamago sando. And, possibly most egregiously, the American version is much more expensive than the Japanese version. Our sandwich cost about $6, but you can get a tamago sando in Japan for about 270¥ or $1.75. If American 7-Elevens only addressed the price issue, I would raise this review one and a half Sporks.
Hi! I’m the editor-in-chief of Sporked. I will never turn down a fresh-shucked oyster but I’ll also leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and I love a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients.
Why you should trust me: I have been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and am an avid at-home cook and snacker. I began my career writing about fine dining and recipes, moved into cocktails and spirits, and now I talk about groceries. If you can eat it or drink it, I’ve probably written about it.
What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s dried okra. Appleton Farms prosciutto from Aldi. Some sort of Trader Joe’s cheese (I’m into the aged gouda at the moment). Frozen waffles (usually the Eggo Cinnamon Toast Minis). Spindrift water (loving the Cosmopolitan right now).
Favorite ranking: Smoked salmon. Imagine me as Scrooge McDuck but instead of coins I’m diving into a vault of slippery smoked salmon slices. Pure joy. I also found some real steals in that taste test!
Least favorite ranking: Canned oysters. I had such high hopes for this but it quickly became a chore. The kitchen smelled like an uncleaned aquarium.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!
Justine Sterling
Griffin Parker
Jessica Block
Gwynedd Stuart
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