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This Viral Japanese Convenience Store Staple Was Just Released In The US, So I Compared The Two Side-By-Side To Find Out Which One Is Better

I'll be very honest...

If you ask me about my simple pleasures, there are a few that top the list. One of them's gotta be 7-Eleven in Japan.

A 7-Eleven storefront with sliding glass doors, displaying promotions and cultural items inside. Signs in Japanese are visible
Winhorse / Getty Images

Yes, 7-Eleven in Japan — it's home to shockingly good food. In case you didn't know, convenience stores (konbini) are a huge part of the culture in Japan. Unlike the US, where convenience store food wouldn't necessarily be the first pick for a tasty meal, Japan's konbinis provide some really great-tasting options for meals and snacks, catering to the lifestyles of busy people who don't have time to cook.

Last week, 7-Eleven in the US launched its Japanese-Style Egg Salad Sandwich, inspired by the viral Tamago Sando sold in its Japanese stores. (This sandwich is so popular that people, like @jeremyjacobowitz on TikTok, are literally flying to Japan for it.) Naturally, I was very intrigued: how would this stack up to the OG in Japan?

Person holding an egg salad sandwich in front of a convenience store with text: "6700 miles for the egg salad sando. Back in Japan!"
@jeremyjacobowitz / Via tiktok.com

According to a press release from 7-Eleven, the sandwich is made "featuring soft, pillowy milk bread and creamy egg salad made with Kewpie Mayonnaise." I mean, that sounds promising, right?

For context, I grew up visiting Tokyo every summer and even briefly attended school in the city as a child. Proof below:

Five children, standing in a row, smile for a photo. A red arrow points to the girl in the center labeled "me."
Jen Adams

That's me, nearly two decades ago, when I attended elementary school in Tokyo.

All to say, I've made many visits to Japanese 7-Elevens over my lifetime, and have tried many of the chain's foods. And yes, in my most recent visit to the city last summer, I tried the Tamago Sando.

The 7-Eleven US team sent some sandwiches to our office for the BuzzFeed team to try, so I taste-tested them with my colleagues. Here were my honest thoughts:

Packaged 7-Eleven Japanese-style egg salad sandwich with Kewpie mayonnaise, held by hand in front of indoor greenery. Price: $5.49
Claudia Santos

While the sandwiches were sent for free, I wasn't obligated to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in this post are my real thoughts!

After unboxing the sandwich, a couple of things immediately stood out to me: the crust on the bread and the pale color of the egg salad.

A sandwich held by a gloved hand in front of a lush green background with a small sign hanging on foliage
Claudia Santos

For context, this is what the sandwiches in Japan look like. I unfortunately didn't have any photos of the sandwich in my camera roll, but thankfully, thousands of people have documented their Tamago Sando findings on TikTok.

Hand holding a packaged egg salad sandwich in a Tokyo convenience store. Nearby shelves display similar sandwiches. Text reads "Salad Sando in Tokyo."
@jeremyjacobowitz / Via tiktok.com

As you can see in the photo above, in Japan, the Tamago Sandos come with the crusts cut off, and are a more vibrant yellow.

(Side note: The yolks are generally always a bright orangey-yellow color in Japan. While I can't say for sure why this is, some people think it's because of what the chickens are fed.)

Upon closer inspection, I also noticed that the filling of the American sandwiches had a pretty homogeneous texture, as if it were all whipped into the same fluffy consistency. There weren't any chunks of boiled egg interspersed throughout, unlike the Japanese version.

Close-up of hands holding a neatly stacked egg salad sandwich on white bread, with greenery in the blurred background
Claudia Santos

Here, you can see the moment of truth:

Two people sitting at a table smiling and eating slices of bread, with a plate of more bread in front of them; green plants in the background
Claudia Santos

After taking the first few bites, I was honestly pretty...underwhelmed.

Two individuals sit at a table holding slices of bread, with a plate of more bread in front of them. They are smiling at each other
Claudia Santos

To be clear, I didn't think the sandwich was bad. Thanks to the Kewpie mayo, the egg salad had a light, savory flavor. It wasn't too rich, and it paired nicely with the slightly sweet, soft milk bread.

Two people sitting at a table with a plate of bread slices, tasting and enjoying the bread
Claudia Santos

However, I think the sandwich would have been way better if the egg salad included bits of egg for a change-up in texture, as well as the crusts cut off. I recall the Japanese Sando bread being extremely light and fluffy, and I think the no-crust aspect really helps with this.

Also, while the ratio of egg salad to bread in the American sandwiches was fine (they weren't too bread-heavy, nor were they too egg-y), the Japanese Sandos had slightly more egg in them, which I liked. All of these little details really made the Japanese Sandos feel gourmet!

That said, I'd rate the American sandwiches a 7/10. Like I said, they weren't bad, and I didn't dislike them. However, I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to try them.

Two people sit at a table, smiling playfully while holding bread. A plate with more bread is in front of them. Lush greenery is in the background
Claudia Santos

If I had to give the Japanese sandwiches a rating, I'd give them a 9/10. They really were that good, and I'm already dreaming about the next time I can go back to Tokyo to get my hands on one.

Have you ever tried the Japanese Tamago Sando? Let me know in the comments!

You can also head over to Instagram to watch our full review.

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