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Comment by treflop | Hacker News Reader

I’ve been to Japan many times now and have sampled a lot of konbini food and have come to realize that a lot of it is just as junky as the food you can find at 7-11 here. The initial novelty was that it was Japanese junk food.

Don’t get me wrong: I will still absolutely f’ up a steak and cheese roller from 7-11 in the states and will continue to eat konbini food when I’m in Japan, but all of it is kind of mediocre. They hit the spot like (American) Denny’s at 2am.

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Thing, Japan

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/thing-japan

> steak and cheese roller from 7-11

I don't think i've ever seen one where i live (san jose), just some sad-looking hot dogs. I think there is just a ton fewer choices in 7-11s here compared to Japan. And mostly really garbage unappetizing dry things like cup ramen (two-three flavors tops), cans, crackers, basically a scant selection of things that can preferably sit on that shelf forever. In the Japanese ones it felt like a ton more choice (even for junk food), and a bit more fresh stuff like onigiri.

Honestly, when going on holiday to the USA the 7 11 hot dog full of onion and sauces has been one of the best junk food we've ever had

lol, the Japanese tourist I met in the US had "trying a hotdog" high on his must-do list

I mean no, a tuna onigiri is real tuna in fresh rice. Which is not like hitting all your micronutrients but is just relatively healthy. Similarly you can wash that down with unsweetened green tea (so hard to find outside of japan). Snacks that healthy are hard to come by in western convenience stores. You could also of course go for some sort of milkshake abomination and a famichiki and then maybe you're right. But you have decent amounts of choice.

Ito-en bottled green tea is prevalent in the US, either at higher end grocery stores or any Asian market. Or Target: https://www.target.com/p/ito-en-oi-ocha-unsweetened-green-te...

I like that convenience food is quick and tasty

the food i've gotten at konbini in japan is on par with specialty gas stations, such as KwikTrip, Casey's, Wawa or Buc-ees in the US. I don't trust food at my 7-11 at home. in japan they get shipments of fresh food _at least_ daily. Soba, onigiri, sandwiches aren't necessarily junk food but they had plenty of those options as well. The US is only junk food.

Buc-ees FTW

Don't mean to be snarky, but you say:

- Food options in Konbini are similar to Buc-ees in the US

- Food options in Konbini "aren't necessarily junk food"

- The US is only junk food

All three of those can't be true!

Japan also has 7-11s, they're in fact the largest brand of konbini.

GP was clearly saying that 7-11 in the US is only junk food, and Japanese konbinis offer food comparable to that of specialty gas stations like Buc-ees.

Which I consider a reasonable assessment of the facts.

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