DALLAS – For the first time in nearly 10 years, 7-Eleven has regained the No. 1 slot on the Franchise 500, the annual ranking by Entrepreneur magazine. The chain, which boasts 60,000 units worldwide, with a new store opening every 3.5 hours, received the acclaim because of its attention to detail. “Over the past decade, the 90-year-old brand has reimagined the convenience store for the 21st century by having a laser focus on staying relevant to customers, providing great service and opportunities to franchisees and harnessing technology and economies of scale to grow its system and energize same-store sales,” the magazine wrote.

“We’re a remarkable brand and have had a remarkable journey,” CEO Joe DePinto said. “I think what we’re doing now is recognizing just where the consumer is, like we did back in the 1920s when we started. We’re tailoring our products to meet their needs.”

7-Eleven’s success as a franchise opportunity has much to do with its “retailer initiative” program that allows local owners to pick their particular store’s product selection. A digital ordering system helps operators keep track of what’s selling and what’s not, and make adjustments accordingly.

“We call it a pull strategy,” said Chris Tanco, executive vice president and COO. “Most other stores push product based on what their vendor offers or what they can buy at discount. We are the opposite. We look at every store and say, ‘Who are our customers, and what do they want?’”

That, coupled with a revamped food program, has pushed 7-Eleven back to the top of the franchise heap. “We believe not just hot foods but our entire fresh-food platform is driving business substantially,” said Larry Hughes, vice president of franchise systems. “The 7-Eleven customer can come in any time of day and satisfy any meal or get a snack.”