# What is the most Ubiquitous chain in the US? the World? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 26, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-ubiquitous-chain-in-the-us-the-world/385669 "2006-12-26T22:07:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2006, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-ubiquitous-chain-in-the-us-the-world/385669/21 "2006-12-27T09:48:28Z")
Within 5 miles of my house: Starbucks - 50 (!) Mc Donald’s - 11 Subway - 30 7-11 - 12 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-ubiquitous-chain-in-the-us-the-world/385669/22 "2006-12-28T19:25:25Z")
Watch out, Subway! Zeke’s Hot Steak & Kidney Pies 2 Go has got your number! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-ubiquitous-chain-in-the-us-the-world/385669/23 "2006-12-28T19:56:17Z")
I’m kind of surprised that **elmwood** has “so many” 7-11’s and Starbucks near him. He must live closer to the city than I do (I’m 18 miles out of Cleveland and Akron). I have never been to/seen a 7-11…and until last year there wasn’t a Starbucks around for miles. Now there’s one inside our Target. We do have 2 Subways in town and 1 in the next town over. One of the Subways is inside of a BP station, which seems to be a good way for Subway to grow quickly. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-ubiquitous-chain-in-the-us-the-world/385669/24 "2006-12-28T22:14:50Z")
My area is why Starbucks isn’t on top for the country as a whole: Dunkin Donuts: 7 within 5 miles Starbucks: 0 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-ubiquitous-chain-in-the-us-the-world/385669/25 "2006-12-28T22:22:23Z")
A WAG, but I’m thinking there are more Exxon stations in this country than any fast food chain. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-ubiquitous-chain-in-the-us-the-world/385669/26 "2006-12-28T23:39:20Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] A WAG, but I’m thinking there are more Exxon stations in this country than any fast food chain. [/QUOTE] Per this [industry summary](http://sbdcnet.org/industry/gas_stations.pdf) (warning PDF) 16,300 BP/Amoco stations 15,913 Exxon/Mobil stations 14,200 Shell/Texaco stations ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-ubiquitous-chain-in-the-us-the-world/385669/27 "2006-12-29T08:42:20Z")
[QUOTE=panamajack] They seem to have a pretty high density in Singapore and Japan. They’re almost certainly the biggest store in those countries. [/QUOTE] Just 'cause _combini_ stores are such a big part of Japanese (or at least urban Japanese) life, here’s some fun facts about the Japanese chains: [7-Eleven](http://www.7-eleven.com/about/globalsites.asp): 11,069 stores [Lawson](http://www.lawson.co.jp/company/corporate/sales.html) (Japanese only, sorry): 8,366 [Family Mart](http://www.family.co.jp/english/index.html): 6,378 stores [am-pm](http://www.ampm.co.jp/company/kaisya/) (Japanese only, sorry): 1,364 All four of those are represented near me in Awajicho/Ogawamachi, an area about 1 km square, with two each of Family Mart and am-pm. I’m sure someone can think of other Japanese chains off the top of their head, but just consider: these four alone represent 27,177 stores between them, in a country less than half the population of the United States and physically about the size of California. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-ubiquitous-chain-in-the-us-the-world/385669/28 "2006-12-29T10:00:23Z")
Within 5 miles of my house: 7-Eleven: 30 Starbucks: 28 Subway: 22 McDonald’s: 18 Now, i was curious and checked bigger things: Safeway: 16 Albertsons: 10 Liquor Stores (not including convenience shops): **58!** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-ubiquitous-chain-in-the-us-the-world/385669.md?page=1)