One Roll of Gimbap and a Cup of Coffee for 500,000 Won? The Story Behind a Gangnam Gimbap Restaurant’s Price Hike on Delivery Apps

Effectively Blocking Orders from Customers Who Repeatedly Cancel and Request Refunds
Small Business Owners Say, "Helpless Against Platform Structure"

A gimbap restaurant in Seoul has drawn attention after it was revealed that the owner effectively blocked sales by listing a menu item consisting of a single roll of gimbap and a cup of coffee for 500,000 won on a delivery app, in response to customers who repeatedly cancel and request refunds.

A scene at a gimbap restaurant in Seoul where a single roll of gimbap and a cup of coffee are listed for sale at 500,000 won on a delivery platform. Instagram thread

On January 19, a photo of a notice posted by a gimbap restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul, on a particular delivery app was shared on a social media thread. The notice explained that a nearby plastic surgery clinic had repeatedly ordered food, consumed it, and then requested refunds or canceled the orders.

In the photo, the delivery app screen showed a menu item called "Gimbapricano," which consists of one roll of gimbap and a cup of coffee, priced at 500,000 won. The restaurant owner explained that this menu was not intended for actual sale but was instead a clear indication of the intent to block orders from a specific customer.

The owner stated, "Coffee and gimbap set, orders from OO Plastic Surgery Clinic are prohibited," and added, "The clinic repeatedly requested refunds and cancellations after eating gimbap, and on delivery platforms where the address is not displayed, we have decided not to sell gimbap at all."

The owner further commented, "During the Dubai Chocolate Cookie (Dujjonku) sales craze, we kept orders open due to high demand for single items, but repeated cancellations and refunds made it impossible to bear the time, cost, and mental stress. I decided it would be better not to sell gimbap at all."

One online user who read the story, also a self-employed business owner, said, "On Coupang Eats, if a customer raises an issue with customer service, refunds are sometimes issued even if there is nothing wrong with the food."

He continued, "In this process, the restaurant has to bear the loss except for the commission, and since there is no way to directly block customers who repeatedly order and cancel, there are almost no means of response for small business owners."

As this story spread, there have been growing concerns that the refund and cancellation system of delivery platforms places an excessive burden on small business owners. Some are calling for measures to address customers who repeatedly place and cancel orders without legitimate reasons.