Controversy Over Restaurant Notice Saying "Customers Pay 1,000 Won More for One Serving"

CEO "Charging Extra for Side Dishes to Customers Dining Alone"

A restaurant that charges an additional 1,000 won for every menu item ordered by 'honbap' customers?those who dine alone and order only one serving?has sparked heated debate among netizens.

On the 19th, JTBC's 'Sageon Banjang' introduced the story of informant A, who recently visited a restaurant. A went to the restaurant with acquaintances and saw a notice on the wall stating, "For customers ordering one serving, all menu items are increased by 1,000 won." The restaurant's main dishes are stews such as saengtae jjigae (pollack stew) and kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew).

A notice about additional charges for single diners posted at a restaurant. JTBC 'Sageon Banjang'

He took a photo of the notice and posted it on his social networking service (SNS). Reactions from netizens were divided. Positive comments included, "If you serve side dishes the same for one customer, you won't make a profit," and "It's nice to be able to eat alone without feeling awkward." On the other hand, some argued, "Wouldn't it be better to offer discounts for orders of two or more servings?" and "'Honbap' customers might feel offended." Other opinions included, "It's their right to raise prices. Whether customers come or not is their choice. No need to criticize either side," and "I don't see much of a problem. If you don't want to go, then don't."

The restaurant owner explained to 'Sageon Banjang,' "Originally, we only sold two or more servings and did not sell single servings. However, customers who came alone requested to be able to order one serving even if it meant paying an extra 1,000 won. We decided to charge an additional 1,000 won to cover the cost of side dishes." He added, "After posting the notice, solo diners actually responded that they felt more comfortable."

Opinions were also divided among the 'Sageon Banjang' panel. Lawyer Park Ji-hoon, who is also a honbap diner, expressed a negative view, saying, "They could just write 'orders of two or more servings only' on the menu." Psychology professor Park Sang-hee opposed as well, stating, "Writing it like that makes you feel like eating alone is wrong." On the other hand, lawyer Yang Ji-yeol said, "I want to visit that restaurant. There are many places that only accept orders for two or more servings, so sometimes I can't eat."

Meanwhile, according to Statistics Korea, as of 2023, there are 7.83 million single-person households in Korea, accounting for 35.5% of all households. This is the largest proportion among all household types in Korea. The rate of honbap among single-person households was surveyed at 67.8%.