"Removed Chairs Immediately" Cafe Quarantine Rule Relaxation... Owners Feel 'Half Hopeful, Half Anxious' [Reporter Han Visits]

Cafe allowed to serve customers in-store until 9 PM
Coffee shop owners lower chairs and clean stores, expecting 'sales increase'
Concerns about COVID-19 spreading again

Chairs placed on tables by cafe owners when cafe seating was not allowed due to the impact of COVID-19. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "We immediately took down the chairs," "I also want to see our regular customers, that's true."

Starting from the 18th, as quarantine measures for multi-use facilities such as cafes, gyms, and karaoke rooms are partially eased, cafes that had only allowed takeout and delivery will now permit in-store dining until 9 PM, similar to restaurants. As a result, 190,000 cafes nationwide can now operate their stores.

However, if two or more people order coffee or beverages, it is recommended that they stay in the store for no longer than one hour. Additionally, wearing masks is mandatory when not consuming food inside the cafe. Violations will result in fines of up to 100,000 KRW.

Cafe owners expressed hopes for increased sales due to the relaxed quarantine rules but also revealed concerns about the possibility of COVID-19 spreading again.

Cafe seating has become available due to the relaxation of cafe quarantine rules. The photo shows a cafe in a busy area of Seoul. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

Kim, a self-employed person in his 40s running a cafe in a busy area of Seoul, said, "Running a cafe was sometimes tough when customers crowded in, but recently, since we couldn't accept table customers and only served coffee, both the customers and I felt somewhat lethargic." He added, "Now that we can accept seated customers and properly operate the cafe, I expect not only sales to increase but also many other positive outcomes."

However, he expressed doubts about the newly suggested recommended guidelines for cafes by the government. Kim said, "Since it's a recommendation, it's not a big burden," but also said, "Can any owner really tell a customer, 'You've been in the cafe for over an hour'? It's a bit awkward."

Chairs placed on tables by a cafe owner at a time when cafe seating was not allowed due to the impact of COVID-19. Photo by Han Seung-gon hsg@asiae.co.kr

The easing of cafe quarantine rules is expected to directly impact sales. The cafe opening rate had been continuously declining due to COVID-19.

According to an analysis of Statistics Korea data by the commercial real estate research and development company Sangga Information Research Institute in September last year, the number of cafes opened nationwide in the first half of last year was 6,745, a decrease of 772 compared to 7,517 in the same period the previous year. This represents about a 10.3% decrease.

Except for two metropolitan areas in the Seoul metropolitan area and other major cities, the number of cafe openings decreased in all regions. The region with the largest decrease was Gyeonggi-do, with 172 fewer openings compared to 2019. This was followed by Seoul (141 fewer), Daegu (80 fewer), Incheon (56 fewer), Busan (20 fewer), and Gwangju (15 fewer).

One reason for the decrease in cafe openings is reduced sales. According to statistics from the Small Enterprise and Market Service, the estimated average sales of cafes near Gangnam Station in the first half of last year were about 50.89 million KRW, down approximately 24.72 million KRW from the estimated 75.61 million KRW in the same period the previous year.

Reference photo. The photo was taken before the spread of COVID-19 and is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, customers are delighted to be able to sit inside cafes again. Park, a company employee in his 30s who frequently visits cafes, said, "I had nowhere to go since I couldn't sit in cafes," adding, "Now, I think I'll spend more time in cafes talking with acquaintances and waiting for appointment times." He also added, "I didn't realize before, but cafes are not just places to drink coffee; they are precious spaces to meet people."

Lee, a university student in his 20s, expressed anticipation, saying, "There was nowhere suitable to meet and wait with friends," and "I think I will be able to do some assignments or study as well."

Meanwhile, health authorities stated that it is desirable to flexibly apply the 'social distancing' stages according to the situation in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, said at a briefing on the 18th regarding industries where business bans were lifted, "The core provisions of the distancing stages are still maintained," but added, "However, strictly following the set manual is not necessarily the best approach."

Son explained, "Before designing the distancing system, there were unforeseen issues, and as distancing prolonged and the epidemic situation changed, problems arose that required adjustments from time to time. Accordingly, strict quarantine rules for industries banned under level 2.5 were lifted, and cafes were allowed to offer in-store dining at level 2.5, considering fairness with restaurants."

He emphasized, "During this (third) wave, when the previously non-existent 'ban on private gatherings of five or more people' was implemented, the effect on infection suppression was quite significant, and we realized that the main focus changes depending on the characteristics of the epidemic."