Between now and June 30, 7-Eleven, Inc. will waive the franchise fee on a select number of its U.S. stores available for franchise, a savings of up to $80,000. The Zero Franchise Fee Initiative was announced by 7-Eleven® President and CEO Joe DePinto at last week’s 7-Eleven Experience in Las Vegas, the company’s annual franchisee convention.

While the more than 200 available stores are located in cities across the country, thirteen of the Zero Franchising Fee opportunities are in markets like Charlotte, N. C., where 7-Eleven has acquired a significant number of stores.

Eligible North Carolina Stores

• 2519 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte

• 8325 Old Stateville Road, Charlotte

• 9025 Mallard Creek Road, Charlotte

• 2901 Yorkmont Road, Charlotte

• 4808 Brookshire Boulevard., Charlotte

• 2415 Little Rock Road, Charlotte

• 6401 Old Statesville Road, Charlotte

• 7340 Poplar Tent Road, Concord

• 2700 Old Monroe Road, Matthews

• 1828 N. Charlotte Avenue, Monroe

• 1698 E. Marion Street, Shelby

• 6511 Caratoke Highway, Grandy

• 1460 W. Memorial Highway, Union Grove

Over the last 4 years 7-Eleven has grown its store base by more than 1,300 units. Now that a 7-Eleven customer base has been established at these locations, the company is looking to transition these stores to franchise operations.

Other cities where specific Zero Franchise Fee stores are available include the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Manhattan, Baltimore, Richmond, Va.; Orlando, Fla.; Portland, Ore., and Jacksonville, Fla. These stores typically have lower sales volume compared to the national average.

The convenience retailer is offering these stores to qualified, prospective franchisees as well as existing 7-Eleven franchisees who want to grow their retail business by adding 7-Eleven stores. Prospective franchisees for these Zero Franchise Fee stores will undergo the standard 7-Eleven franchise approval process. “These locations offer would-be entrepreneurs a chance to go into business for themselves without the expense of the one-time franchise fee,” said Greg Franks, vice president of franchising systems. “With the Zero Franchise Fee Initiative, we opted to waive the fee on these specific stores to allow the new owner a chance to build his or her customer base and business, while backed by our proprietary systems, processes and ongoing support.

“This limited-time offering presents a terrific opportunity for individuals to franchise their own business with a major franchise brand for no initial franchising fee,” Franks added.

Basic 7-Eleven franchisee qualifications include being 21 years or older, a permanent U.S. resident, having excellent credit and $50,000 in liquid assets. Prospective franchise owners will still be responsible for the costs of licensing, permits and the initial down-payment on inventory, totaling approximately $30,000.

Recognized by numerous business publications as one of the best franchise opportunities in the U.S., 7-Eleven offers its franchise-owners the strength of its world-renowned brand and a turnkey operation. After extensive training, 7-Eleven franchisees open their doors with a fully-equipped and stocked store with intuitive retail technology, merchandising and advertising support, high-quality national and private-brand products, and some of the world’s most recognizable brands like Slurpee® and Big Gulp® drinks.

Because the stores qualifying as Zero Franchise Fee opportunities are considered low volume, they may qualify for additional, limited-time financial support.