7-Eleven plans to close 645 stores in the U.S. this year

MoneyWatch 7-Eleven plans to close 645 stores in the U.S. this year .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-moneywatch.jpg'); } April 14, 2026 / 5:31 PM EDT / CBS/AP Add CBS News on Google 7-Eleven plans to close 645 stores across the U.S. in fiscal year 2026, according to earnings filings from the convenience chain published last week.Seven & i Holdings Co., the Japan-based parent of the convenience chain, noted that these closures "include the conversion to wholesale fuel stores." Financial documents show that 7-Eleven Inc. has steadily opened new wholesale fuel stores in North America over recent years, which accounted for more than 900 locations as of December 2025.The chain's North American operator forecast it will open 205 stores during the same time period, although those openings will be outpaced by the closures. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why it is shuttering the stores. 7-Eleven has closed hundreds of "underperforming" convenience stores in recent years, citing pressures such as slowing sales, less foot traffic and inflationary pressures.According to the company's website, there are over 86,000 7-Eleven stores across 19 countries today. 7-Eleven Inc., the brand's North American operator based in Texas, oversees more than 13,000 locations in the U.S. and Canada.The latest wave of store closures arrives as higher prices strain consumers worldwide. The U.S. and Israel's war against Iran has especially rattled energy markets, with drivers now facing soaring gas prices.Consumers were facing stubborn inflation even before the war. In North America specifically, Seven & i noted in its April 9 report, "although the economy remained robust, personal consumption also began to soften" for the 2025 fiscal year — "particularly among low-income households, as inflation continued to weigh on spending." Openings for Seven & i subsidiaries outside of North America are...