7-Eleven Franchise Complaints

236 thoughts on “7-Eleven Franchise Complaints”

• Yes, FOA should work on franchisee’s profits down and getting worse and worse every year. I hope the new national FOA team should do it. In addition, we have to reevaluate that we are employee of SEI or independent contractor.

• DON’T GO TO LAS VEGAS

• Now that Bruce lost the National FOA election he has named himself “Executive Director” of a new group. The Midwest FOA is trying to establish itself as …I don’t know what he is doing. ….message to Bruce YOU LOST GROW UP! Joey DiPinto will find a “new” boy toy.

• If you do go to Las Vegas say hi to Bruce….he will be the FZ following behind JDP andDR with his tongue hanging out.

• Congratulations Sodhi. It is Franchisee’s victory and shame on 7-11’s management team. They try to kill working bees who dedicated their whole life to build up 7-11 store. Now it’s a clear message that all 7-11 management team should think of stepping down.

• I am proud of my support for you Sodhi…remember I told you I had your back. Together we will find justice.

• Will some one please update us on the Sodhi vs 7-Eleven case.

• What happened to CyberFOA ?

• Any truth to rumor Mr. Bruce Maples is leaving 7-Eleven system on Monday January 13? Is this sour grapes because he lost election?

• The Cyberfoa.com website was live at the end of 2013, but doesn’t seem to be functioning now.

  Does anyone know why?

  ADMIN

• I do remember John I mentioning in the chat room that they were talking to UnhappyFranchisee.com (no kidding)

• I’ve been told that CyberFoa.com is in the process of changing servers and will be back in operation in coming weeks. We will let you know when it is up and running.

  CyberFoa is a closed discussion site for 7-Eleven franchise owners.

• Thanks, Admin.

• I have recently purchased 2 packs of Kool Mild Cigarettes at 2 of your 711 locations in San Marcos California, one on Mission Ave/Corner of Mulberry and one at the El Norte Location/corner of Escondido Country Club Lane
  Both packs at both locations were stale, so I thought you should know about this. I will not be purchasing this item from them any longer; CVS down the street and closer to my home has fresh cigarettes….
  Thanks!

• Good luck with that….if you are buying lights or milds of any brand they are 5 years old at least. The do-gooder communists in DC banned the use of those designations last decade.

• Admin, please keep people like Rhonda on a different forum. This page should be dedicated to franchisee and their issues with 7-Eleven, Inc. only. Non FZs can browse through but not comment. We hear enough customer complaints (mostly nonsensicle) every week.

• I had no idea there was a site for FZ to discuss the issues at hand. Every comment, positive, negative, and neutral I have to agree with. I worked for corp as a BC for over 15yrs. When I bought a store I had no idea I was buying into the a FZ system that is so corrupt and deception runs amuck. I shack my head everyday when my 23 yr old no retail experienced BC tries to explain to me why he thinks my going down. Why my sales are up by 20% however my take is less now and 7 eleven is at a 53 % take and I am at 47%. I personally made more money when my sales where less and we split 50/50. Oh I know why…my GP is 33% instead of 35 and all my purchases are coming from 7eleven approved vendors. HMMM. I think 7 eleven needs to earn there $ they get off of me. And I don’t see it happening. I pray that positive changes come from the Newly elected Pres. and he isn’t just another Ass kisser looking for a free lunch on our expense.
  Oh by the way. I am in Vegas. Don’t get mad they bought my ticket. Plus it is a legitimate way for me to write a trip to Vegas off on my taxes.
  :) Unity

• Carrie
  I’m Gambling
  That has been my 7-11 Experience.

• 7EE is a joke. Will not be attending next year.

• Brian tell.us more…

• As long as even ONE Franchisee is willing to lock their lips on Bruce’s or Joe’s collective butts, or other parts of their anatomy, all other Franchisees will feel a need to be afraid of being “sold out” and “singled out” for persecution. It is past time for action on the part of 7-Eleven Franchisees. If you believe the future is dark, you have not been paying much attention. Right now is dark, and the future for 7-Eleven Franchisees looks like a huge black hole. It does not take a soothsayer to see where 7&I, SEI are heading if the Franchise community does not take every opportunity to stop them, RIGHT NOW!!
  Please do NOT make the same mistake so many have made in thinking that it won’t happen to you because you have diligently “followed all the rules”. Rules don’t apply within SEI. They don’t make money by following rules. Think about this: If SEI can get 25% of their stores vacated (no matter how they do it) and they re-franchise each store for around $150,000.00 in franchise fees, how much free “profit” will they receive? Isn’t that enough motivation to divide the individual franchisees and attack them? Get it togrther folks, and hold the lights behind Joe, Bruce and the Japanese funded Gestapo so the entire franchise community can see the truth and the abuses must stop.

• Heard recently that Joe DePinto has asked his zone leaders not to open stores indiscrimately anywhere. Is there any truth to this ? Can anyone confirm?

• Zone leaders are glorified MM’s…they have no powee ALL real estate matters are done in Dallas

• Hearing from franchisees all over Los Angeles and San Diego Counties in California that the new BT business model that SEI is vigorously pushing is another way of scamming the stores out of the promotions and savings that vendors give the stores. There are numerous examples daily where the BT Invoice is overstated by amounts ranging from $1 to over $20. Vendors are telling the stores that they were specifically told at one of the “Mock Electronic Check-In” sessions not to provide the stores with the driver’s invoice. If your store is a BT store, demand the vendor invoice from driver. If he says no, refuse the delivery. Its your name on the account. You should know how much you are paying. Not SEI telling you how much you paid. Be alert FZs, this is a very unethical management running our stores for us now!

• Any updates on the lawsuit filed against SEI over the camera issue?

• We will know after it is filed….not before.

• EDITOR’S NOTE: This appears to be a satirical piece originally posted on Abril Uno http://abriluno.com/7-11-brand-sold-to-indian-conglomerate-tata-group/

  In a surprising move, Indian conglomerate Tata Group announced yesterday the acquisition of Dallas, TX based 7-Eleven, Inc for an undisclosed sum.

  Apoo Nahasapeemapetilon, Vice President of Operations for Tata Group said that because this is the first time the company is venturing into the convenience store business, it will setup a new corporation under the Tata Group of companies that will concentrate exclusively on retailing and merchandising.

  The new company, to be called Tata Marin, will handle all business generated by the newly acquired 7-Eleven Inc., which currently has more than 50,000 outlets worldwide.

  Nahasapeemapetilon, once a 7-Eleven franchisee himself when he lived in Springfield, Oregon, said that it is an exciting move for the company since it expands Tata Group’s reach, not only within India, but to far reaches of the West as well as in many Asian countries.

  Simpson Kelkar, a 7-Eleven franchisee living in San Francisco, and who currently owns fifty-one 7-Eleven outlets in the city said that he was equally excited about Tata Group’s acquisition. Kelkar, who also originates from India, said that he will definitely look into opening several stores in his native country, and maybe go back permanently to semi-retire.

  Nahasapeemapetilon said that the two companies are still finalizing all the paperwork and tying all the loose ends. But the deal should be final within the end of this month.

  Word on Tata Group’s acquisition quickly spread within many areas in India, and has sparked an onslaught of inquiries on how and where to apply for a franchise.

  It is not immediately known whether 7-Eleven Inc.’s headquarters will be moved or simply outsourced to other companies in India.

  7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores. 7-Eleven, primarily operating as a franchise, is the world’s largest operator, franchisor, and licensor of convenience stores with more than 50,000 outlets, surpassing the previous record-holder, McDonald’s Corporation.The stores are located in 16 countries with its largest markets being Japan (15,000), the United States (8,200), Thailand (6,800), Indonesia, Canada, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore.

• Very funny

• message:

  From: Annie
  Date: April 3, 2014 at 9:08:41 PM EDT
  To: *TIGTA Investigations Complaints Unit
  Subject: Ullah v. Shah-Aijaz – Pleadings STAMPED (02.12.14).pdf
  Ehsan my attorney and my boss attorney want to settle this case 35000 my boss 5yrs take $2/hr and doesn’t report to irs he cheat all workers thanks

  Ehsan Ullah,
  I have worked 10 years in this store , he never gave me any overtime or 1
  day off in these 10 years. I had a heart attack in the store. I went to
  federal court I did lawsuit and I sent you the copy the store address is
  1999 New York avenue huntington station 11746 7-11 telephone number is
  [redacted] my phone number is [redacted] I did the complain at hotline
  I have complain number but he never contacted me the complain number is
  1403140714 I did on the 14 of March 2014 nobody contacted me
  Please response to me as soon as possible thank you

• I have a lawsuit against 7-11 franchise Rubina shah and husband Arshad Aijaz store # 25520 the address is 1999 New York avenue huntington station 11746 telephone number is [redacted]. I have a federal court lawsuit the number is
  CV-140947 I filed law suit the 12th of February 2014. I worked for 10’years he sponsered me for papers and I’m still pending . He cheat me never gave me day off or overtime I had a heart attack in the store 2008 he has fake pay roll he cheated all employes I have all the proof, paperwork,documents. My request is that you arrest the people they both are all cheaters I will show you all the proof my telephone number is [redacted] I hope someone calls me god bless you

• I have a question. How do I report possible descrimination? I work at a 7 eleven in Va, making $7.50 an hour. We have a new employee who is Indian like the owner and he says he is paid $10 per hour. He is a friend of the owner. I don’t think he knows that the rest of us aren’t making that much. What should I do?

• Its called hearsay mslewis, Get the facts first

• I’m not sharing anything good I visit the store in Charlotte nc on south tryon on49 staff needs to have more manners never returning to that store again three of my friends have been sexual harass my an employee disgusting not acceptable

• There needs to be a collective effort to remove this executive team.
  Now is the time to stand up together and fight back. Do NOT back down or fear this corruption. Stay strong, be united and never give up the fight. The corporation is clearly in deep trouble. There will be more corporate employees coming forward to drop additional bombs. This CEO will lose and never ever run another corporation.
  Keep fighting. Do not stop until we achieve victory.

• I am looking into purchasing a 7-11 franchise in the greater Detroit market. The numbers on paper look good. On the other hand I have not heard one single good thing about 7-11. I understand people come here to complain but I am really looking for some solid good advice…
  thanks
  kenny

• Kenny,
  Run, don’t walk from this “opportunity”.
  All you have read and heard is true….and then some.
  My buddy and I have picked our “WALK” date. That is, we know the exact that we will be walking from the store. Not selling, walking.
  As you have not yet purchased,
  RUN LIKE HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Kenny
  I have been around for 18 years has a Franchisee
  Think twice maybe three times before you decide to buy a 7-11.
  Do you want to buy a business or a job!

• do not buy 7 eleven franchise this is scam

• Kenny talk to franchisees in Detroit Metro especially ones on east walton in Auburn Hills close to Chrysler HQ. He can give you truth

• Kenny, I’d be more than happy to give you advice. I went through the same process you are going through. Everything looked good on paper. Once you get in the store, nothing is as it was described. The “business consultants” are people who have no real understanding of how to operate a store as they have driven most of those people out of the company. Their real role is to keep an eye on the owners to ensure they are adhering to company policy. Not only do they not really care about you as an owner, they don’t have the intelligence and insight to provide guidance. Their systems are absolutely horrible. I’ve worked in corporate America in IT for 25 years and I’ve never seen a more backwards company as it relates to their IT and support systems. E-mail that is barely useable, let alone being able to access it without being in the store. Accounting systems that are archaic at best. Merchandise reports that are out of the dark ages. No investment at all in these systems which will make your work 5 times more difficult than it should be. If you are asking here, your gut is telling you not to do it. Do not do it. Everything I’ve read on these boards is pretty much accurate. You will be buying yourself a job with long hours, terrible support, employees of 7-eleven who do not care about you and are more concerned with their own upper movement in the company and no focus on the franchisee. If you want long hours and horrible pay, get a job in a 7-eleven and keep the money in your pocket.

• The company has a long history of success. A few years ago, they re-organized under the current leadership. In the process they also eliminated much of the old guard employees, and replaced them with folks, who have very little 7-Eleven retail and operational experience…. they drained their intelligence before they could replace them with competent successors.

  The business and consumer is changing rapidly, and the current leadership has struggled to find a winning strategy for sustaining customer growth. On top of this, the 7-E team doesn’t really understand how their store’s operate and how customers use them.

  To complicate things further, 7-E has developed an autocratic leadership style, and are attempting to exert increasing control over how franchisees operate their store…. the outcome has typically been a loss in franchisee income, as they seem to be throwing darts.

  The franchise isn’t expanding per store revenue and has been adding complexity which equates to cost, for franchisees over the past several years. The ratio of stores that would produce reasonable income for a franchisee Vs. those that will bankrupt you, is shrinking rapidly in my area.

• Concerned you are spot on. And what’s amazing is all of the people who have been with 7-eleven for any length of time understand it, but are not listened to. Spending an hour with a store manager who has been in the system and has significant experience is better than 2 months of weekly “consulting sessions” from the business consultants they hire. Sessions that consisted of him spending the bulk of his time walking through with his check list that his MM wanted him to fill out. The business consultant had no experience in the convenience store industry and the MM was no better. There are still some good people in the system, but they are the old guard being replaced rapidly and you have to search hard for them. My business consultant was clearly more focused on his own career than the success of his franchisees. To me, one of the most obvious examples of their internal focus on what is best for corporate 7-eleven is the fact that all of their store operations assistance is outsourced to India while their accounting departments are staffed by US based resources with significant 7-eleven experience. If you need help getting your cash reports in so they can get their money accounted for, you get immediate help from somebody who knows their systems inside and out. If you need help on store operations, best of luck. It’s a long wait, hopefully a call back but more likely you will need to keep calling to reach somebody who knows very little. Or you can call your business consultant. By the way, I had 3 of them in the store one time trying to change a POS button, until they finally called a store manager that was still in the system who walked them through it. My experience was in the Denver area, and as I look through the comments above, it seems systemic across the US. Do not waste your money here.

• I worked for 7-eleven corporate for ten yrs starting with night shift and ending in management. Then we franchised. I was lucky enough to be hired as the manager by the new owners. Lucky until I realized no matter how far you increased sales, how tightly you controled labor, no matter how smart you were with inventory you could never quite make it up Profit Mountain. Considering I was salaried any additional income came from meeting certain goals. Like profit.

  My store had an average cleanliness score of 94, a 39% margin, and ran labor at 9.5% of sales. We (this is important as I had a great staff) even increased sales 30% over one year.

  This did not equal profitability. Im sorry for you franchisees who were promised knowledge and support (who here went to COOL training? ). Did you learn more than how to clean a coffee pot or reset the confectionary? I was with them for ten yrs prior to my COOL experience. I killed it in three weeks.

  Its worthless.

  For anyone out there that hasn’t hopped on this sinking ship, run. Run, run, run .

• considering 7-11, curious as to the % of franchisees represented on this forum.

• 100%…If in doubt GK…don’t….not sure where you are looking but 7-11 is systematically driving profit to their side of equation. They want many stores few FZ’s. The plan is to convince folks that they need 4-6 stores to make a living…problem is that many stores open 24 hrs stocking thousands of items is impossible to control. The risk v reward is not there.

• GK, if you read through the string it is a consistent message. The profits are so thin, you have no choice but to own multiple stores to make a decent living. However, multiple stores are years away, because it will take you that long to get your system up and going, particularly if it is a new store. It is a complex system and they do not have the support in place to assist you the way you will be promised. If it’s an existing store, you have a clearer picture as to what to expect. Just do not expect significant growth, as 7-Eleven is continuing to build stores in most areas to meet their internal growth projects and you will likely see a reduced profit as to the growth they will try to tell you about. What area are you looking at? I will say that I talked to many franchisees in the Denver area and the message was the same from many of them. I will tell you right now you will regret the decision if you push your way past what your gut is telling you.

• GK….if you are willing what part of country are you considering. Each area/region has it’s challenges. Lindsey said they had 39% GP I bet there was no alcohol at that store. Some areas of country have huge cigarette and beer sales which means GP maybe…maybe 33%. Geography matters.

• Jesus…..Is there anything good about these Cunt-Cakes…sorry for my french but Im pissed after reading all…..and yea Im trying to get one….Wow!

• I went to COOL training – I was forced into my store after 18 days of training and was totally not ready. I DO know how to mop and clean a coffee pot though…

• Heard that Joe DePinto is on the speech circuit. Does that mean he is polishing up his resume for greener(aka safer/lawsuit free) pastures ? We all know that his buddy Darren left him high and dry. Lets hope JD takes all his westpoint cronies with him. Amen