7-11/FamilyMart Obsession: Your Taiwan BFF

In most countries, a convenience store is where you go for a mediocre sandwich or an overpriced soda. In Taiwan, it is the beating heart of the neighborhood. With over 13,000 stores across the island, you are rarely more than a 3-min walk from a 7-Eleven or FamilyMart.

🏪 Not Your Average "Corner Shop"

These stores are open 24/7, and they do everything. Literally everything. You might see someone collecting their dry-cleaned clothes, another person sending a parcel, and someone else eating a full three-course meal. I often joke that apart from taking a shower, you can do absolutely anything there!

What You Can Do There:

• ATM & Money: Every store has a reliable ATM that accepts international cards.

  
  

• Dining Room: Most stores have clean seating areas with Wi-Fi and charging ports. It’s a perfectly normal place to sit and eat.

• Shipping & Laundry: You can send packages to other stores or even drop off your laundry.

  
  

• Tickets: You can buy HSR (Bullet Train) or event tickets, and even pay for traffic fines, utility bills or car parking.

  
  

• Printing: Need to print a boarding pass or a photo of you with Taipei 101 as souvenir? Upload your file to their website and print it for just a few cents.

  
  

• Tax Refunds (TRS): If you see the "Tax Refund" logo, you can get an on-site VAT refund (5%) on eligible purchases over $2,000 TWD.

  
  

• Calling a Taxi: If your phone is dead, use the kiosk to "Call a Taxi." It prints a slip with the car's plate number, the driver will meet you outside the store doors.

  
  

• Buying or Refilling EasyCards: Check out this blog to learn what that is.

  
  

• Luggage Storage & Forwarding: If you’re changing hotels or heading to another city, you can drop your suitcases at most stores and have them shipped to a different convenience store near your next destination.

  
  

• The "Power Bank" Swap: You can rent a battery for your phone, carry it while you explore, and drop it off at any other store when you're done.

  
  

• So many more things waiting for you to explore! And yes, you can do any of these things even at 3AM.

  
  

🍱 The "Must-Try" Food List

• The 24-Hour Café: You can order decent-quality drinks at the counter for half the price of Starbucks. The menu isn't limited to just Americanos or Lattes; you can get fancy drinks like Sicily Lemon Sparkling Iced Coffee or a rich Japanese Hojicha Latte.

• Tea Eggs: You’ll smell the herbal aroma the moment you walk in. They are hard-boiled eggs simmered for hours in soy sauce and tea leaves.

• Sweet Potatoes: Often found roasting on hot stones. Gluten-Free Alert! If you have dietary restrictions and need a safe, filling snack in an emergency, these are the best.

• Onigiri: Triangular rice balls with fillings like tuna, grilled pork, teriyaki beef or cod roe.

• Soft Drinks: Taiwan is the birthplace of bubble tea and countless other creative beverages. Your options go far beyond just soda, energy drinks, or juice. There’s an endless variety of fancy drinks for you to choose from!

• Soft Serve Ice Cream: This is a competitive sport between 7-Eleven and FamilyMart. They rotate limited-edition, gourmet flavors every month! Think Thai tea, matcha, or even strawberry Mount Fuji.

• Draft Beer on Tap: You can get a freshly poured pint of Buckskin or Sapporo right at select flagship stores.

🎨 The Instagrammable Stops: Themed Stores in Taipei

• Hello Kitty & Sanrio 

• Sumikko Gurashi

• Snoopy & Peanuts 

• Pokémon Store