7-Eleven now owns hundreds of Mexican restaurants, in a pairing that has more than a few people scratching their heads. Gas station tacos, anyone?
The convenience-store chain has entered into an agreement with another gas-station giant- Sunoco- for a reported $1 billion for 204 Stripes stores and the Laredo Taco Co. fast-food restaurants that are housed within those stores.
Neither convenience store company said how many of their stores host a Laredo Taco Co., but they did confirm that the deal would give 7-Eleven complete ownership of both the Stripes and Laredo Taco brands, according to Restaurant Business news online .
This may seem like an odd pairing, but when you consider how many fast-food chains are housed in convenience stores, it makes sense. Subway, Arby’s, McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, and more have all signed on to add locations within or next to gas stations like Luv’s and Pilot, which is a great way for them to compete with locations like Sheetz and Buccee’s.
Plus, 7-Eleven and Stripes have a history.