"Are you worried about getting sick?" Netizens' concerns
Netizens suggest various solutions to self-employed workers' difficulties
A story has been shared about a self-employed business owner struggling with customers who bring their own personal side dish containers and fill them with side dishes provided at the self-service bar. Recently, on the self-employed online community 'Apeunikka Sajangida' (Because It Hurts, I'm the Boss), a post titled 'Customers Bringing Personal Side Dish Containers and Taking Everything' was uploaded. Mr. A, who runs a restaurant, said, "There is a female customer who appears to be in her 60s," and began, "She always comes alone, orders two servings, and pays in cash."
A Korean buffet in downtown Seoul. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Photo by Yonhap News.
Mr. A continued, "She piles up side dishes from the self-service bar into the container she brought, taking soup, rice, and refilled side dishes without leaving anything behind," expressing his frustration. It was especially noted that the female customer usually fills her container when Mr. A is not watching. He said, "I told her it was for one serving, and of course, there are many people dining alone in the restaurant," adding, "When she first came, she ate one serving and left, but since last week, she started bringing her own container. At first, she said she was only taking leftover soup, but now she does this," he lamented. He added, "She comes twice a week, and it's very stressful," but also sighed, "It seems she lives alone. One day, she came wearing her shirt inside out. My heart aches, so I can't even say anything."
Netizens who read the story responded with comments such as, "It's a bigger problem if they get sick from taking the food than just packing it to go," "If that's the case, shouldn't they go to a side dish store instead?" and "She probably orders two servings out of guilt since she comes alone." One netizen advised, "Selling side dishes by the pack for a few thousand won, like a side dish store, might be a better method," adding, "That way, there would be grounds to prevent customers from packing side dishes."
Meanwhile, food ingredient prices have been rising consecutively in the third quarter of this year. Around mid-October, the Korea Consumer Organization Price Monitoring Center analyzed the prices of 37 daily necessities and reported that 23 items increased compared to the same period last year. The prices of these 23 items rose by an average of 4.3% in the third quarter. Looking at the price increase rates by item, seasoned laver (matgim) rose the most at 19.4%, followed by gochujang (red chili paste) at 12.4%, sugar at 9.4%, soy sauce at 7.0%, and milk at 5.6%. Although the raw material prices for laver have slowed their upward trend since the third quarter, they still remain at a high level. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries expects that with the resumption of laver production after October and stabilization of supply and demand, prices will either hold steady or show a downward trend.
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