'It Is Hard to Eat a Meal with 10,000 Won' Becomes Reality... Average Lunch Price Surpasses 10,000 Won for the First Time

Siksin Reveals Q1 Mobile Meal Voucher Lunch Price Statistics
Average Lunch Price for Office Workers Surpasses 10,000 Won
Seoul 10,798 Won, Gangwon 9,355 Won Regional Differences

As high inflation continues, the average lunch price for office workers nationwide has entered the 10,000 won era.

Food tech company SikSin, which operates the mobile meal voucher service 'SikSin e-SikGwon,' released statistics on mobile meal voucher lunch prices for the first quarter of this year on the 24th. SikSin e-SikGwon, used for corporate meal allowances and settlements, is used by about 230,000 people daily.

In this statistic, the average payment amount at general restaurants nationwide surpassed 10,000 won, effectively marking the start of the '10,000 won lunch price era.' While some regions had quarterly average payments exceeding 10,000 won occasionally, this is the first time it has happened on a nationwide scale.

By region, Seoul recorded the highest average at 10,798 won, while Gangwon had the lowest at 9,355 won. However, the year-on-year growth rates were higher in provincial areas: Chungcheong at 13.7%, Gangwon at 11.7%, Gyeonggi at 9.6%, and Gyeongsang at 6.7%. It appears that the upward trend that began in the metropolitan area is gradually spreading nationwide.

For company cafeterias, the average monthly payment was recorded at 8,560 won. This is a significant increase compared to the previously released 4th quarter of 2022 (6,858 won) and the same period last year, the 1st quarter of 2023 (7,706 won). However, prices remain cheaper than those at general restaurants.

CEO An Byeong-ik of SikSin stated, "The high inflation trend has rapidly changed lunch spending consumption patterns," adding, "We will continue to provide useful information through regular statistical releases."