Field guide

Ordering food delivery in Korea

Delivery looks small, but it is the first place the Korean way of doing things hits you all at once. Once payment and the address are handled, the rest is usually smooth.

The short version

Signing up usually works. Where people get stuck is payment and the address, so this guide clears those two first.

Last verified:

Deadlines that matter

  • First-order discount coupon

    By when: Usually a few days after sign up

    If you miss it: Not a big deal. You can still order at the normal price.

Right now

  1. 1A Korean phone number makes sign up much easier. If you do not have one yet, start with ordering without an app below.
  2. 2If a foreign card keeps getting declined, try registering it in the app's quick pay before you switch cards.
  3. 3Enter your address in the road-name format. There is a copy and paste line for it below.

What to have ready

  • Korean phone number: Used for identity checks and order updates.
  • A way to pay: A foreign card or a quick-pay account.
  • Your road-name address and building entrance info

Phrases you can copy and paste

Step by step

  1. 1

    Pick an app

    There are several delivery apps, and they differ in whether foreign cards work and how much English they offer. The point of this guide is to lay out those differences. The verified comparison table goes in when this guide is published for real.

  2. 2

    Sign up and pass the identity check

    Where:
    In the app

    Most apps verify you with a Korean phone number. If you do not have one, see the fallback in the next step.

  3. 3

    Add a payment method

    How long:
    A few minutes

    If a foreign card is declined, try registering it in quick pay first. If that still fails, go to ordering without an app below.

  4. 4

    Enter your address and delivery notes

    Use the road-name address. In the notes it helps to add your building entrance code and a line saying you do not speak Korean. The copy and paste lines are below.

The Korean words

도로명 주소doro-myeong juso· street-name address
Korea's standard address format. Enter your address this way in the app.
공동현관gongdong-hyeongwan· shared building entrance
The courier may need a code to get in.
간편결제ganpyeon-gyeolje· quick pay
Saving a card as an in-app payment method.

Easy to miss

  • Sign up can go through while a foreign card quietly fails at the payment step.
  • A minimum order amount and a delivery tip are added separately, so the final total can be higher than you expect.

You can skip this if

  • If you are staying at a hotel or guesthouse, asking the front desk may be faster.

When it is time for a person

  • If the app and phone orders both keep failing, it may be time for a person who can help with settling in more broadly.

Where this comes from

Rules, fees and deadlines change and depend on your exact case. Please confirm the details with the official sources before you act.

Back to Don't Panic Korea