Convenience store tea is having a moment this summer.
In 2013, 7-Eleven Japan debuted its new “Seven Cafe” system of freshly made beverages, starting with a rollout of coffee machines that soon became a hit with customers around the nation. After becoming synonymous with freshly brewed coffee, the chain expanded its options with smoothie machines, and now, following up on a promise to install tea machines in around 2,000 stores by February 2026, the chain has its sights set on bringing tea drinkers through its doors.
Situated alongside the coffee and smoothie machines on the counter, the tea machine has a bright and eye-catching display. For coffee lovers like our reporter P.K. Sanjun, tea isn’t usually on his radar, but the display looked so appealing that one day, he decided to ditch his morning coffee for a cup of Seven Cafe Tea.
After picking up a couple of iced cups from the freezer and paying for them at the counter, P.K. sidled over to the machine, where he saw that there were three types of tea leaves to choose from: “Darjeeling Blend”, “Earl Grey Tea”, and “Assam Blend.” As a casual tea drinker, P.K. didn’t know the specific characteristics about each of these varieties, so he appreciated the sign above the machine, which described Darjeeling as having a pleasant aroma and clean aftertaste, Earl Grey as having a fruity citrus scent and refreshing flavour, and Assam having a rich, sweet aroma with a deep, full-bodied taste.
After selecting your tea variety, you can choose whether you want it hot or iced, and whether you want it straight or with milk, which was a wider variety of options than P.K. had expected. Prices range from 120 yen (US$0.80) for a small straight tea to 300 yen for a large iced milk tea.
Since it was a hot and muggy day, P.K. opted for an iced Darjeeling tea and an iced Earl Grey milk tea. Popping them in one at a time, he pressed the appropriate buttons to get his brew of choice, and as he waited, he couldn’t help but notice it took quite a while, given the careful attention to the brewing and steeping process.
When they were finally ready, P.K. stepped back to admire them, noting the golden brown hues in each.
Trying the iced tea first, P.K. was surprised by how delicious it was. Refreshing yet with a rich flavour, it tasted different from any other tea he’s ever had before.
As for the milk tea, initially it felt like the milk slightly overpowered the flavour, but after adding some sugar syrup, the tea suddenly started to assert itself, making for a delicious blend that he could easily see himself gulping down in the summer months.
So was it enough to convert a coffee drinker? Well, P.K. says he won’t be making the permanent switch to tea. It’s not that the tea wasn’t delicious – it just didn’t have the same bitter kick as a 7-Eleven coffee, which is one of the things he finds himself craving on a daily basis.
Still, after betraying his beloved coffee machine and trying the two teas, he’s now able to confidently say that 7-Eleven does do a great brew. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll find himself at the machine again when he wants a refreshing summer beverage to complement his daily cup of joe.
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[ Read in Japanese ]