Quick Facts for Tourists
Best Tourist App
Coupang Eats
Foreign cards via Coupang account
Foreign Cards
Very Limited
Coupang works; Baemin needs Korean payment
Phone Number
Korean Number Very Helpful
Most apps require Korean phone verification
Language
Mostly Korean
Coupang has some English; others Korean only
Top Food Delivery Apps in South Korea
South Korea has one of the most developed food delivery cultures in the world. Koreans order delivery for everything — from fried chicken to jjajangmyeon to full Korean BBQ sets. However, the delivery app ecosystem is heavily geared toward Korean users, making it one of the most challenging countries for tourists.
Coupang Eats
Food Delivery — Best for TouristsCoupang Eats is currently the most viable food delivery option for tourists in South Korea. It is the food delivery arm of Coupang, Korea's largest e-commerce company (often called "Korea's Amazon"). The key advantage is that you can create a Coupang account and add a foreign credit card through the main Coupang platform, which then works for Coupang Eats. The app has been improving its English support, though it is still not perfect. Coverage is excellent in Seoul, Busan, and other major cities.
Shuttle
Food Delivery — Foreigner-FriendlyShuttle is a delivery service specifically designed for foreigners living in and visiting South Korea. It has full English support and accepts international credit cards. The restaurant selection is more limited than Baemin or Coupang Eats, but the service is designed from the ground up for non-Korean speakers. Delivery notes and customer service are all in English. If you are struggling with Korean apps, Shuttle is your safety net.
Yogiyo (요기요)
Food Delivery — Major Korean PlatformYogiyo is one of South Korea's established food delivery platforms with a large restaurant network. The name means "over here!" in Korean. While it has a solid user base and good restaurant coverage, the app is predominantly in Korean and requires Korean payment methods. Some foreign residents have managed to use it with a Korean bank account, but it is not practical for short-term tourists.
Baemin / Baedal Minjok (배달의민족)
Food Delivery — Korea's #1 AppBaemin (short for Baedal Minjok, meaning "Delivery Nation") is South Korea's most popular food delivery app by a wide margin. It has the largest restaurant selection, the most users, and the deepest integration into Korean daily life. The app is beautifully designed with fun branding and excellent UX — if you read Korean. For tourists, it is unfortunately nearly impossible to use. The entire app is in Korean, requires a Korean phone number, and only accepts Korean payment methods.
Grocery & Convenience Delivery
South Korea has incredible grocery delivery infrastructure. Same-day and even same-hour delivery is the norm. Plus, Korean convenience stores are world-class alternatives when delivery apps are too difficult.
Coupang Rocket Fresh
Grocery Delivery — Same-DayCoupang's grocery delivery service offers same-day and even dawn delivery for orders placed the night before. Since you can use a foreign credit card through your Coupang account, this is the most accessible grocery delivery option for tourists. The selection includes fresh produce, meat, dairy, snacks, drinks, and household essentials. Delivery to hotels and Airbnbs works well.
Market Kurly (마켓컬리)
Grocery Delivery — PremiumMarket Kurly is South Korea's premium online grocery service, famous for its "dawn delivery" — order by 11 PM and receive your groceries by 7 AM the next morning. The selection focuses on high-quality, often organic products. However, the app is entirely in Korean and requires Korean payment methods, making it impractical for most tourists.
Emart / SSG.com
Grocery Delivery — Major ChainEmart is South Korea's largest hypermarket chain (owned by Shinsegae Group), and SSG.com is their e-commerce delivery platform. They offer same-day grocery delivery with a massive selection. Like Market Kurly, the service is primarily in Korean with Korean payment requirements. Best for longer-term visitors who have set up local payment methods.
Convenience Stores (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, Emart24)
Walk-In — Best Tourist AlternativeKorean convenience stores deserve special mention as the best practical food option for tourists who cannot navigate delivery apps. South Korea has one of the highest convenience store densities in the world — you are never more than a few minutes' walk from one. They offer excellent prepared meals, gimbap (Korean rice rolls), instant ramyeon stations with hot water, sandwiches, dumplings, and even Korean fried chicken. All accept foreign credit cards and are open 24/7. Many have seating areas where you can eat. For short-stay tourists, convenience stores may genuinely be more practical than trying to fight through Korean-only delivery apps.
Tourist Reality Check
South Korea is one of the most challenging countries for tourists trying to use food delivery apps. Here is the honest truth about what you will face.
Korea Is HARD for Tourist Delivery
Let's be blunt: South Korea's food delivery ecosystem is almost entirely built for Korean residents. The dominant app (Baemin) requires Korean language, Korean phone number, and Korean payment. Most alternatives are the same. Coupang Eats is your best bet, and even that requires patience to set up. If delivery is important to you, prepare before your trip by creating accounts and testing payment methods.
The Korean Payment Wall
Korea's digital payment system is deeply integrated with Korean banking (Kakao Pay, Naver Pay, Toss). Most delivery apps only accept these Korean fintech payments or Korean-issued credit cards. This is the single biggest barrier for tourists. Coupang is an exception because it operates as an international e-commerce company and has built foreign card support into its platform.
Convenience Stores Are Your Best Friend
Seriously consider Korean convenience stores as your primary food strategy. CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, and Emart24 are everywhere, open 24/7, accept foreign cards, and have genuinely good food. Korean convenience store food is a step above what you might expect — fresh gimbap, hot ramyeon, triangle kimbap, dumplings, fried chicken, and even craft beer. Many tourists find they eat most meals from convenience stores and enjoy it.
Ask Korean Friends or Hotel Staff
If you really want to use Baemin or try specific restaurants, ask a Korean friend, hotel concierge, or your Airbnb host to help you order. Many Korean hotel staff are happy to help place delivery orders for guests. This social workaround is often easier than trying to navigate the apps on your own.
Tipping & Delivery Etiquette
South Korea has a clear no-tipping culture that extends to food delivery.
Absolutely No Tipping
Tipping is not part of Korean culture and is not expected in any context, including food delivery. Delivery riders do not expect tips, and attempting to tip can cause awkward confusion. The delivery fee is built into the order price. Simply accept your food with a quick thank you ("kamsahamnida" / 감사합니다) and that is all that is expected.
Delivery Speed Is Lightning Fast
Korean food delivery is famously fast. In Seoul, delivery times of 20-30 minutes are standard, and some services deliver in under 15 minutes. Riders are efficient and know the system well. You will likely be impressed by how quickly your food arrives compared to delivery in other countries.
Hotel & Accommodation Delivery
South Korea's delivery infrastructure is so developed that getting food delivered to accommodations is generally seamless.
Hotels Work Perfectly
South Korean hotels are very experienced with food delivery. Delivery riders know the system and hotels have processes in place. Many hotels have a dedicated delivery area or the front desk will coordinate. Just provide the hotel name and your room number. Delivery to major hotel chains in Seoul, Busan, and other cities is routine and hassle-free.
Goshiwon & Small Rooms
If you are staying in a goshiwon (small budget room) or officetels, delivery can be trickier. These buildings may not have clear lobby areas, and the address format can be confusing. Add as much detail as possible to your delivery notes, including floor number and room number. Meeting the rider at the building entrance is often the easiest approach.
Download Before You Land
Set up these apps before arriving in South Korea. Account creation and payment setup are easier from home.
South Korea Download Pack
- Coupang — Create an account and add your foreign credit card. This enables Coupang Eats and Coupang Rocket Fresh grocery delivery.
- Shuttle — Download as your English-language backup for food delivery in Seoul.
- Naver Map — Better than Google Maps in South Korea. Download for accurate navigation and finding restaurants.
- Papago — Naver's translation app, far better than Google Translate for Korean. Essential for reading menus and signs.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is very limited in South Korea. Most Korean delivery apps (Baemin, Yogiyo) require Korean payment methods like Korean credit cards, Kakao Pay, or Naver Pay. Coupang Eats is the exception — you can add a foreign Visa or Mastercard through a Coupang account. Shuttle also accepts foreign cards. We recommend setting up your Coupang account before arriving in Korea to avoid frustration.
A Korean phone number is highly recommended and practically required for most delivery apps. Baemin and Yogiyo require Korean phone verification. Coupang can sometimes work with international numbers but a Korean number makes the process much smoother. You can get a Korean SIM card or eSIM at Incheon Airport from KT, SK Telecom, or LG U+. Tourist SIM packages typically start around 20,000-30,000 won for a few days of data.
Coupang Eats is the best option for most tourists, thanks to its foreign credit card support through Coupang accounts and improving English interface. Shuttle is an excellent alternative specifically built for foreigners with full English support. For the widest restaurant selection you would need Baemin, but it requires Korean language skills and Korean payment — ask hotel staff to help if needed.
Baemin is almost entirely in Korean and very difficult to navigate without Korean language skills. The app, menus, delivery notes, and customer support are all in Korean. While you can use Papago or Google Translate's camera feature to translate screens, the registration also requires a Korean phone number and Korean payment method. For most tourists, it is not a practical option. Ask a Korean-speaking friend or hotel staff to help if you want to order from Baemin.
Absolutely. Korean convenience stores (CU, GS25, 7-Eleven, Emart24) are world-class and available on virtually every block in Seoul. They offer excellent prepared meals including fresh gimbap, triangle kimbap, instant ramyeon (with hot water stations), sandwiches, dumplings, fried chicken, and more. They accept foreign credit cards, are open 24/7, and many have seating areas. For short-stay tourists, convenience stores are often more practical and enjoyable than struggling with Korean-only delivery apps.
Seoul has one of the best late-night food delivery scenes in the world. On Baemin and Coupang Eats, many restaurants deliver past midnight, and Korean fried chicken (chikin) delivery is famously available at all hours. However, as a tourist, your late-night delivery options depend on which apps you have access to. Convenience stores are always open 24/7 as a reliable backup. In areas like Hongdae, Itaewon, and Gangnam, you can also find late-night street food and restaurants within walking distance.