Restaurant overcharging soldiers gets canceled on internet

Social Affairs

Published: 14 Dec. 2023, 13:06

Restaurant overcharging soldiers gets canceled on internet

An all-you-can-eat Korean barbeque restaurant in Yeoju, Gyeonggi, is facing backlash after charging an extra 3,000 won ($2.3) to soldiers per headcount.

An image of the restaurant's menu, which went viral on Wednesday, says soldiers have to pay 19,900 won, while ordinary customers pay 16,900 won.

One commenter on the internet, saying they have visited the restaurant in the past, said, "When there was only one soldier at the table, the restaurant made the entire accompanying group" pay an extra 3,000 won per person.

Negative reviews on the restaurant on internet platforms followed, with many leaving one-star reviews.

Comments like "the owner discriminates against soldiers" and "the owner sees soldiers as pushovers" continued.

The restaurant's owner told Yonhap News TV on Wednesday, "I tried not to differentiate the price tag for several years, even taking the pain of deficit."

"Soldiers coming from a nearby military base eat at least five times more than [other customers]."

"The price of pork went up a lot this year, and [charging extra money to soldiers] was inevitable," the owner added.

Some sided with the restaurant owner, saying, "There is no need to bring down the restaurant taking those measures," and "People can just compliment the restaurants that offer discounts to soldiers."

BY LEE SU-MIN, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]