"40,000 Won Worth of Braised Hairtail Too Small" Complaint
Restaurant Staff Explains "Hairtail Price Is 45% of Food Cost"
Recently, a consumer who ordered 40,000 won worth of braised hairtail from a restaurant in Mapo-gu, Seoul, expressed disappointment over the small portion size, sparking controversy. In response, an employee of the restaurant explained, "The price is high because we use domestically sourced live hairtail."
On the 18th, a post titled "I am an employee of the braised hairtail restaurant recently involved in controversy" was uploaded on an online community. The author, Mr. A, stated, "Our store clearly indicates on the delivery app menu that we use domestically sourced hairtail," and explained, "The hairtail is purchased at Noryangjin Fish Market for 35,000 won per fish, and we provide about half of one fish, which is domestically sourced live hairtail."
He added, "The pure cost of the hairtail accounts for about 45% of the food price, excluding the container, labor, rent, and side dishes," and claimed, "Even if we deliver one whole fish and exclude the cost of the hairtail and delivery fees, the remaining amount is 30% of the selling price, and after other expenses, the profit margin is in the high teens."
Earlier, on the 15th, consumer Mr. B posted a complaint stating that the braised hairtail he ordered for 39,000 won contained only two small pieces of hairtail. Mr. B said, "I wondered if the food I received was really a single serving, so I called the restaurant immediately," and added, "The owner explained that hairtail is expensive these days, so the portion size is correct, but no matter how I think about it, the price seems too high." The photos shared at the time showed 2-3 pieces of hairtail coated in spicy seasoning, along with potatoes, radish, and vegetables. After Mr. B's post caused a significant stir on social media and online communities, employee Mr. A stepped forward to clarify the situation.
Mr. A said, "I am not sure if we charged excessively to the point of receiving harsh criticism due to this incident being reported," and added, "I wanted to clarify whether we overcharged for domestically sourced hairtail compared to prices in the same industry, and if there was any wrongdoing worthy of criticism in the media coverage, I am willing to correct it."
In response, Mr. B, who originally wrote the post, said, "I have no intention of defaming the owner’s store. As a regular consumer who ordered braised hairtail, I just wanted to know if this portion size was appropriate," and advised, "Consumers trust what they see with their own eyes. Based on others’ advice, it would be better to indicate the portion size in advance or make improvements so that consumers like me do not appear again."
Netizens who read the story reacted with comments such as, "Inform customers in advance that only two pieces will be served," "I didn’t know hairtail was that expensive," "There’s no need to insist on only domestic products," "The amount of side ingredients is disappointing," "It would be better to reduce the size of the hairtail pieces and increase the quantity," "I hope the sincerity about the food is understood," and "Stay strong, owner."
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