New to Korean dining culture? Read Eating at Korean Restaurants: 10 Things First-Time Visitors Should Know — Part 1 first.
Eating at a restaurant in Korea can be easier than you might expect.
But if it’s your first time, there are a few things that may feel unfamiliar.
Where do you order?
Do you wait for a server?
Where are the spoons and chopsticks?
And what is that little button on the table?
Here are a few things every first-time visitor should know before eating at a Korean restaurant.
1. First, check how you order
Not every restaurant in Korea takes orders the same way.
Some restaurants have servers who come to your table, while others use kiosks.
There are two types of kiosks you’ll commonly see.
One is a standing kiosk, usually located near the entrance or counter. You place your order and often pay before sitting down.
The other is a table kiosk, where you sit first and order directly from a screen at your table.
Restaurants that use kiosks will usually use one system or the other, so you normally won’t need to figure out both in the same restaurant.
2. Look for an English option
If the kiosk first appears in Korean, don’t worry.
Many kiosks have language options, especially in restaurants that get foreign visitors.
Look for English, a language button, or a flag icon.
The exact layout will vary from restaurant to restaurant, but checking for a language option before you start ordering your food can make things much easier.
3. You may need to choose “Eat in” or “Take Out”
Some kiosks ask this before showing the menu.
Eat in means you’ll eat at the restaurant.
Take Out means you want your food to go.
It’s a simple choice, but it may be one of the first screens you see when using a Korean restaurant kiosk.
4. Follow the screen when it’s time to pay
After choosing your food, the kiosk will guide you through payment.
Card payment is very common in Korea, but the card reader may not always be where you expect it to be.
Look carefully at the instructions on the screen and around the payment area.
Depending on the restaurant, you may also receive a receipt, order number or ticket after paying.
Keep the receipt or ticket until you've received your food, as some restaurants use it as your order number.
5. Don’t see spoons or chopsticks? Check the table
You sit down, your food is coming...
but there are no spoons or chopsticks on the table.
Before asking a server, check the side or underneath the table first.
Many Korean restaurants keep spoons and chopsticks in a small drawer built into the table.
This is easy to miss if you’ve never seen it before.
Of course, not every Korean restaurant uses these drawers.
At some full-service or higher-end restaurants, there may be no utensil drawer at all because the staff will set the spoon and chopsticks for you.
So if you can’t find them, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re missing something.
6. Water may be self-service
Another small difference you may notice is water.
At some Korean restaurants, staff bring water to your table. At others, customers get their own water and cups.
If nobody brings water, look around before calling a server.
You may see a water dispenser, cups or a self-service area somewhere in the restaurant.
In many casual restaurants, drinking water is provided for free, so you usually don’t need to order bottled water.
The system varies by restaurant, so watching what other customers do can also help.
7. Some things may already be on the table
Depending on the restaurant, you may find small plates, seasonings or simple side items already available at your table.
In other restaurants, these may be brought with your food or available from a self-service area.
Again, every Korean restaurant is a little different, so look around the table before assuming something is missing.
8. Need a server? Look for a call button
This is one of the most useful things to know.
Some Korean restaurants have a small call button on the table.
If you need something, you don’t necessarily have to wait until a server happens to walk past your table.
Pressing the button lets the staff know that your table needs assistance.
Sometimes the button is small enough that you might not even notice it.
So if you need help and no one is coming to your table, look around for a button like this first.
Not every restaurant has a call button. If you can’t find one, you can simply get a server’s attention politely.
9. Your first Korean restaurant visit doesn’t have to be confusing
Korean restaurants don’t all work the same way.
Some have servers, some have standing kiosks, and others let you order from a screen at your table.
Spoons and chopsticks might be on the table, hidden in a drawer, or brought by the staff.
Water might be served to you — or you might get it yourself.
And if you need help, there may be a call button right next to you.
Once you know what to look for, these little differences become surprisingly easy to navigate.
And after a few meals in Korea, you'll probably start using Korean restaurants like a local.
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