Unlimited Meat Refills in Gukbap Cause Store Deficit
Deliberate 'Jinsang' Customers Leaving Food Behind Blamed
Later, Additional Meat Charges Help Avoid Deficit
A gukbap restaurant in Incheon saw an increase in customers after being introduced as a cost-effective eatery on YouTube, but it was later revealed that the business actually suffered losses.
On the 12th, the YouTube channel 'GreenBottleTV' released an 8-minute 14-second video titled "I caused them to run at a loss. Sorry, owner." The YouTuber GreenBottle, who made the video, introduced the restaurant at the beginning by saying, "Do you remember the cost-effective gukbap restaurant I introduced earlier this year, 'Yeogisonmat Gukbap' located in Yeonsu-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon?" He added, "At the time, it was a newly opened restaurant, and many people were interested because not only the rice but also the meat in the gukbap was offered as unlimited refills." He continued, "After I uploaded the video, I heard that many customers visited, and there were often positive reviews."
Video filmed last January when unlimited meat refills were available in gukbap [Image source=YouTube channel 'Green Bottle TV' capture]
Earlier this year, a bowl of assorted gukbap at this restaurant was priced at 7,900 KRW, and students under 19 with limited budgets received a 1,000 KRW discount, paying 6,900 KRW. Additionally, rice and side dishes were provided without limit, and especially the meat in the gukbap could be refilled for free and without restriction. However, about two to three months after being featured on YouTube, the restaurant changed its operating policy. Meat refills were no longer free, and customers had to pay an additional 2,000 KRW for extra meat. Because of this, customers who visited expecting unlimited refills after watching the video were disappointed.
GreenBottle said, "As someone who has run a food review YouTube channel for many years, I had a feeling this wouldn’t be good news," and added, "Sure enough, it wasn’t good news. Although the number of customers increased significantly, the owner said they actually ran at a loss." He then visited the restaurant again with a sincere hope that it would turn a profit instead of a loss.
When GreenBottle asked the gukbap restaurant owner why the unlimited meat refills were stopped, the owner confessed, "I’m really sorry to say this, but there were so many so-called 'difficult' customers." The owner’s original intention was to share warm and friendly feelings by offering small amounts of meat refills to local customers who came to enjoy a bowl of gukbap with a glass of soju, but after the YouTube video was uploaded and many outside customers came, things did not go as intended.
Photo released by the owner of the gukbap restaurant. Rice and gukbap left untouched by the customer can be seen. [Image source=Screenshot from YouTube channel 'Green Bottle TV']
The gukbap restaurant owner admitted, "After the video aired, people assumed unlimited refills were standard... everything was ruined. The next day, there was almost nothing left to sell. For two months, I was in the red to the point I couldn’t even pay the rent." In photos the owner shared, one customer piled rice high and ate two or three bowls, then left the rice untouched at the end. Also, groups of customers arrived all at once in a Starex van, deliberately refilling meat continuously from the start, then left a large amount uneaten. The owner said, "Such incidents happened frequently, to the point where I even wished customers would stop coming." Ultimately, unable to endure the physical strain and financial losses, the owner stopped offering unlimited meat refills.
In the end, GreenBottle apologized to the owner, saying "I’m sorry." He said, "The owner knew that I uploaded the video with good intentions and did not resent or blame me," and added, "Now that there is a 2,000 KRW charge for meat refills, the owner said they are no longer running at a loss." He concluded by asking, "Although meat refills are no longer free, please continue to visit this restaurant."
Netizens who read this story left comments supporting the owner and criticizing the difficult customers, such as "There are more difficult customers than expected, especially at cost-effective places," "If kindness continues, people take it for granted," "Because of difficult customers, even those who eat properly suffer," "Difficult customers really acted badly. They could have at least not left food behind," "I hope such good restaurants do well," "The owner made the right decision to stop refills," and "The beggar mentality is really scary."
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