[Ramen & Side Dishes Edition] Experts Are Impressed! “Convenience Store Frozen Foods”… Here’s the One with the Best Taste and Value!

Convenience store frozen foods can be broadly categorized into three genres: rice dishes, noodles, and side dishes. Among these, fried rice is said to be the most popular in the rice category, while ramen tops the list for noodles.So, FRIDAY, based on the opinions of three experts, has thoroughly compared the taste and value for money of frozen foods sold by the three major convenience store chains—Seven-Eleven, FamilyMart, and Lawson—to determine the “ultimate dish” in each category: fried rice, ramen, and side dishes.

Click here for Part 1: [ Fried Rice Category] No Need to Go to a Restaurant Anymore…! “Convenience Store Frozen Foods”: The Best in Taste and Value!

Dry Noodles Are Hot

Seven-Eleven, which dominated the fried rice category, also boasts a powerful lineup in the ramen category. From staples like ” Tantanmen ” (321 yen) and ” Hokkaido Miso Ramen ” (321 yen) to unique offerings such as ” Rich G-Style Ramen ” (861 yen), the brand leads its rivals with its wide range of products.Among these, convenience store expert Shinji Taya recommends the “ Golden Rich Tsukemen ” (429 yen), supervised by the renowned Chiba restaurant “Chuka Soba Tomita.”

“Just like with the ‘Sumire Fried Rice,’ 7-Eleven is very skilled at developing products in collaboration with famous restaurants. The ‘Golden Rich Tsukemen’ is 100 to 150 yen cheaper than other products supervised by ‘Tomida,’ making it an affordable choice.It captures the signature Tomida flavor—a blend of seafood and tonkotsu—with remarkable accuracy, and the noodles have such a smooth texture you’d never guess they’re frozen. I think if you served this discreetly in a restaurant, most people wouldn’t realize it was a frozen food product.”

Lawson specializes in mixed noodle dishes such as “Abura Soba,” “Taiwan Maze Soba,” and “Rich Sesame Dry Dan Dan Noodles ” (all 322 yen), but they also sell the collaboration product “Sapporo Miso Ramen Supervised by Menya Saimi ” (376 yen).The chewy noodles combine with the aromatic broth to create a deeply satisfying flavor, but adding the included grated ginger creates such a refreshing aftertaste that you’ll find yourself drinking every last drop of the broth. Another appealing point is that it’s about 50 yen cheaper than 7-Eleven’s “Golden Rich Tsukemen.”

Since ramen is such a popular category, both 7-Eleven and Lawson naturally have strong offerings, but the product experts unanimously recommend is FamilyMart’s “ Taiwan Maze Soba Supervised by Menya Kokoro ” (321 yen).

“The chewy thick noodles are coated in a savory, spicy soy sauce dressing with a strong garlic kick, making for a satisfying meal. What really stands out is the punch from the fish powder.Surprisingly few ramen or mixed noodle products really emphasize fish powder. It’s a highly addictive product—once you try it, you’ll be hooked,” says Takeshi Nishikawa, a frozen food expert.

Mr. Taya, mentioned earlier, also praises FamilyMart’s “Taiwan Maze Soba.”

“You can smell the spices the moment you open the bag.It seems FamilyMart is looking to carve out a niche in the spicy mixed noodle category, as they’ve also launched products like ‘Chewy Noodles with Rich Sauce: Dry Dan Dan Noodles’ and ‘Spicy-Savory Sauce with Fragrant Vinegar: Bian Bian Noodles’ (both 321 yen).”

Compared to collaborations with famous restaurants from other chains, FamilyMart’s “Taiwan Maze Soba Supervised by Menya Kokoro” is more affordable and boasts a flavor that impresses even experts, making it the “strongest entry” in the ramen category.

Perfect as a “snack”

The item from FamilyMart’s side dish category that experts raved about is the “Large Dumplings with Rich Meat Flavor and Umami (Domestic Pork) ” (397 yen).

“They use carefully selected domestic pork and domestic cabbage, and they’re large in size. Since they’re already pre-cooked, the fact that you can eat them just by microwaving them is another appealing point.However, if you have the time, I recommend trying the additional cooking step listed on the package: ‘After microwaving, pan-fry for 1 minute and 30 seconds.’ This makes the wrapper crispier and allows you to better enjoy the meat juices that slowly seep out.” (Mr. Dai Takemura, Frozen Food Meister)

Seven-Eleven’s “Side Dishes That Double as Snacks” series—featuring items like “Juicy Chicken Tsukune,” “Chicken Tenderloinwith Plum and Shiso in Tatsuta-style,” “Fried Chicken Wings,” and “Direct-Fired Salted Beef Short Ribs with Green Onions” (all 300 yen)—is outstanding.True to its name, the selection features top-notch items that are perfect both as bar snacks and as accompaniments to rice.

However, according to Mr. Nishikawa mentioned earlier, Lawson is the chain most specialized in side dishes.

“They’re particularly skilled with chicken dishes like yakitori, offering a wide variety such as ‘Charcoal-Grilled Yakitori (Tare)’ (333 yen), ‘Charcoal-Grilled Chicken Skin (Yuzu Kosho)’ (225 yen), and ‘Grilled Chicken Cartilage’ (343 yen).My top recommendation is the ‘Smoked Chicken Mid-Wings’ (333 yen). Not only is the meat tender and the skin delicious, but the smoky aroma is wonderful.

It might come as a surprise, but since frozen foods can lock in aroma, they pair well with products where the smoky flavor is a key feature. While other companies also sell mid-wing products, the fact that ours is smoked is what sets us apart. It works as a side dish, but it’s truly a masterpiece as a snack to go with drinks.”

The “ultimate dish” in the side dish category is Lawson’s “Smoked Chicken Mid-Wings.” Unexpectedly, the top spots in each category were split among three companies. This likely reflects the results of each company mastering their respective areas of expertise amid the fierce survival competition in the convenience store frozen food market.

From the June 19, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”