Food delivery 10,000-won rebate program initiated

Economy

Published: 24 May. 2021, 14:45 Updated: 24 May. 2021, 17:24

Food delivery 10,000-won rebate program initiated

A Baedal Minjok food delivery rider in Seoul in 2020. The government started a program in which customers will get a 10,000-won refund for every four orders placed via food delivery apps to boost restaurant businesses hit by social distancing restrictions. [YONHAP]

Order four meals online and get 10,000 won ($8.8) back under a new program being rolled out by the government.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the refund program, which kicked off Monday, targets boosting the domestic market, which continues to be affected by Covid-19 social distancing.

It also said the program is designed to encourage people to practice social distancing voluntarily.

There have been growing concerns that the warmer weather has increased outdoor activity and led to crowding at restaurants.

In order to get the refund, each purchase must be minimum 20,000 won. The maximum is two orders a day.

The refund only applies to payments made via app. Payments made directly to the delivery person or at stores will not be recognized. Customers who make a payment via app but pick up the food ordered from the store directly will qualify.

In order to get the refund, the user has to visit the credit card company’s website, where they register the credit card that they will be using.

Nine credit card companies - KB Kookmin Bank, Shinhan, Woori, Hana, NH Nonghyup, Samsung, Hyundai, Lotte and BC – as well as 14 delivery apps, including Baedal Minjok, Yogiyo and Coupang Eats, are participating in the program.

The government has budgeted 26 billion for the delivery refund program.

“As Covid-19 situation prolongs, in order to emphasize personal quarantine efforts as the best defense, we have come up with the non-contact restaurant discount campaign,” said an official at the ministry. “If the quarantine situation improves, we will discuss with the quarantine authority about expanding the discount program to face-to-face restaurant businesses.”

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]