HQ Begins Partnership with 'Compact Stores' Deployed by 7-Eleven
HQ Inc. has partnered with 7-Eleven's in-house 'compact stores' to offer its 'Meal Allowance HQ' service. This allows companies to provide tax-free meal benefits while reducing fixed costs.
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- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 18:18 (127h 46m after Collected)
HQ Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Shoji Sakamoto, hereinafter "HQ"), which advocates "turning employee benefits from costs into investments," announces that it has started a partnership with the "compact stores" deployed by Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "7-Eleven").
Through this partnership, companies can realize richer employee benefits by combining HQ's meal allowance service, "Meal Allowance HQ," at 7-Eleven "compact stores" installed within their own company premises. It solves the challenges of costs and disparities faced by traditional company cafeterias, maximizing the quality of life for all employees.
▼ "Meal Allowance HQ" Service Site
https://hq-hq.co.jp/shokuji
▼ What is a Compact Store?
It is a store aimed at improving convenience for workers as part of employee benefits. It can be opened in various locations such as factories, offices, apartments, and dormitories. It is supported by users as a new service replacing company cafeterias, in-house sales, and office cafes.
https://www.sej.co.jp/sej_case/compact-store/
■ Background of the Partnership: Needs for "Increased Take-Home Pay" in the Era of Inflation
While receiving consultations on employee benefits from many companies, it has become clear that the need for benefits directly linked to employee livelihood support is rapidly increasing due to the rising cost of living caused by recent inflation.
In particular, considering the current situation where interest in meal allowances is growing following the movement toward tax reform for the first time in 42 years, we have decided to start offering our new service specializing in meal allowances, "Meal Allowance HQ," as the optimal livelihood support measure in the era of inflation. In this partnership, by applying the digital subsidy of this "Meal Allowance HQ" to 7-Eleven's "compact stores (space-saving, no cooking required)," we provide next-generation dietary support regardless of location or work style.
■ 4 Benefits of this Partnership
1. Easier to use in-house convenience stores
By applying "Meal Allowance HQ," it becomes easier to use the 7-Eleven installed in the company. It provides overwhelming convenience allowing free selection from thousands of items, from bento boxes to beverages and light meals.
2. Available anytime during business hours
Unlike traditional cafeterias that were limited to lunch hours, it can be used anytime as long as it is within business hours.
3. Realizing direct return to employees through "optimization" of fixed costs
By converting the traditional company cafeteria infrastructure into 7-Eleven's "compact stores," operational labor, waste loss, and kitchen maintenance costs are significantly reduced. The fixed costs spent on "facilities" can be allocated as a source for "direct return to employees (substantial wage increase)" through "Meal Allowance HQ."
4. Significantly reducing corporate labor for tax-exempt operations
In order to meet the tax exemption requirements for meal allowances at convenience stores where non-food/drink purchases are also possible, a massive amount of voucher review labor is originally required. With "Meal Allowance HQ," this checking work can be outsourced, and by utilizing technology, clean and highly transparent tax-exempt operations are possible.
■ What is "Meal Allowance HQ," turning the whole city into a company cafeteria with a single card?
*When using this service, a Visa Business Card is issued.
"Meal Allowance HQ" is a service that allows companies to subsidize half of their employees' meal costs tax-free simply by paying with a dedicated "HQ Card." It can be used widely regardless of location at Visa affiliated stores (restaurants, convenience stores, etc.) nationwide.
▼ "Meal Allowance HQ" Service Site
https://hq-hq.co.jp/shokuji
▼ (Related Press Release) "HQ Releases Patented Card-Type Employee Benefit 'Meal Allowance HQ'"
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000162.000089608.html
■ About HQ Inc.
[HQ Inc. Company Profile]
Representative Director and President: Shoji Sakamoto
Address: 3F Towa Kanda Nishikicho Bldg., 3-4-2 Kanda Nishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Established: March 2021
Business details: Deploys an EX platform maximizing Employee Experience (EX) with the vision of "turning employee benefits from costs into investments." Card-type benefit "Meal Allowance HQ", next-generation benefit "Cafeteria HQ", authentic corporate coaching "Coaching HQ".
Through this partnership, companies can realize richer employee benefits by combining HQ's meal allowance service, "Meal Allowance HQ," at 7-Eleven "compact stores" installed within their own company premises. It solves the challenges of costs and disparities faced by traditional company cafeterias, maximizing the quality of life for all employees.
▼ "Meal Allowance HQ" Service Site
https://hq-hq.co.jp/shokuji
▼ What is a Compact Store?
It is a store aimed at improving convenience for workers as part of employee benefits. It can be opened in various locations such as factories, offices, apartments, and dormitories. It is supported by users as a new service replacing company cafeterias, in-house sales, and office cafes.
https://www.sej.co.jp/sej_case/compact-store/
■ Background of the Partnership: Needs for "Increased Take-Home Pay" in the Era of Inflation
While receiving consultations on employee benefits from many companies, it has become clear that the need for benefits directly linked to employee livelihood support is rapidly increasing due to the rising cost of living caused by recent inflation.
In particular, considering the current situation where interest in meal allowances is growing following the movement toward tax reform for the first time in 42 years, we have decided to start offering our new service specializing in meal allowances, "Meal Allowance HQ," as the optimal livelihood support measure in the era of inflation. In this partnership, by applying the digital subsidy of this "Meal Allowance HQ" to 7-Eleven's "compact stores (space-saving, no cooking required)," we provide next-generation dietary support regardless of location or work style.
■ 4 Benefits of this Partnership
1. Easier to use in-house convenience stores
By applying "Meal Allowance HQ," it becomes easier to use the 7-Eleven installed in the company. It provides overwhelming convenience allowing free selection from thousands of items, from bento boxes to beverages and light meals.
2. Available anytime during business hours
Unlike traditional cafeterias that were limited to lunch hours, it can be used anytime as long as it is within business hours.
3. Realizing direct return to employees through "optimization" of fixed costs
By converting the traditional company cafeteria infrastructure into 7-Eleven's "compact stores," operational labor, waste loss, and kitchen maintenance costs are significantly reduced. The fixed costs spent on "facilities" can be allocated as a source for "direct return to employees (substantial wage increase)" through "Meal Allowance HQ."
4. Significantly reducing corporate labor for tax-exempt operations
In order to meet the tax exemption requirements for meal allowances at convenience stores where non-food/drink purchases are also possible, a massive amount of voucher review labor is originally required. With "Meal Allowance HQ," this checking work can be outsourced, and by utilizing technology, clean and highly transparent tax-exempt operations are possible.
■ What is "Meal Allowance HQ," turning the whole city into a company cafeteria with a single card?
*When using this service, a Visa Business Card is issued.
"Meal Allowance HQ" is a service that allows companies to subsidize half of their employees' meal costs tax-free simply by paying with a dedicated "HQ Card." It can be used widely regardless of location at Visa affiliated stores (restaurants, convenience stores, etc.) nationwide.
▼ "Meal Allowance HQ" Service Site
https://hq-hq.co.jp/shokuji
▼ (Related Press Release) "HQ Releases Patented Card-Type Employee Benefit 'Meal Allowance HQ'"
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000162.000089608.html
■ About HQ Inc.
[HQ Inc. Company Profile]
Representative Director and President: Shoji Sakamoto
Address: 3F Towa Kanda Nishikicho Bldg., 3-4-2 Kanda Nishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Established: March 2021
Business details: Deploys an EX platform maximizing Employee Experience (EX) with the vision of "turning employee benefits from costs into investments." Card-type benefit "Meal Allowance HQ", next-generation benefit "Cafeteria HQ", authentic corporate coaching "Coaching HQ".