Linh Duong’s Adventures in Seoul Episode 1: The Dining

As any person would be, visiting South Korea for the first time, I was incredibly excited to try the food and new restaurants that I wouldn’t be able to find in the states, especially not Florida. Seeing so many recommendations prepared me to venture out into the city and eat all that I can. However, what I wasn’t prepared for was the stark difference in Korea dining etiquette.

It’s interesting how the same ingredients can be treated so differently.

As an American, one would be used to having a host come seat you, a waiter to attend to you every so often—their service being what determines the tip—and a slow wait for the food while you dive into conversing with those around you.

In South Korea, it is a different world.

Some restaurants differ from others, but the overall energy is the same: fast, quick, and delicious. A lot of restaurants will allow you to choose your own seating if it is not busy. Some restaurants even make you order and pay upfront before even getting to your seat when crowded. Others might have tablets to order on, and the food will quickly be brought to you. Meanwhile, this push toward speed and self-service is something Korea’s restaurant industry has leaned into hard, with tablet ordering and even serving robots now common.

A host that leads you to your seat and a waiter that tends to you every few minutes is, however, not common. Should you ever need anything or want to order, you must call out to the employee with a simple 저기요 (chogiyo). The food will then shortly come after, leaving little time for your hunger to fester.

It isn’t rudeness or neglect. Instead, this behavior stems from the value of them wanting you to take your time and enjoy your meal without frequent interruption. If there is any issue, they will be ready to respond. As a result, all you have to worry about is what to choose out of the many delicious options—and with Korean food now spreading worldwide, there are more of those options than ever.

Once done with your meal, if you haven’t paid already, you need not wait for the employee to bring a check. Instead, you stand and head to the front of the restaurant with a form of payment to be taken, and then off you go to continue your travels around Seoul.

There is also never a need to pull out your phone to calculate the tip for your server, nor check the receipt’s bottom for suggestions. There is simply no tipping in South Korea. In fact, it can often be seen as rude and will be denied by the employees. It is simply not the norm here, as it is in the states. I know this is a delight to many, as it is to me.

The dining culture here is a bit of a ways different from the states, but it has been fun to experience. For instance, even figuring out the small stuff—how to pay, how to order, which apps make life easier—becomes part of the adventure. Although, maybe it’s the good Korean food that washes away the culture shock.