New report reveals staggering trends in cost of restaurant meals: 'Lunch inflation'

Eating out in South Korea now costs a quarter more than it did five years ago, reported Maeil Business Newspaper.

What's happening?

Lunchtime favorites are hitting wallets harder than ever. Since 2020, the price of gimbap has surged 38%, while hamburgers now cost 37% more. Another nine popular dishes on Korean menus have seen price tags jump by over 30%.

While everyday goods and services have become 16% more expensive since 2020, restaurant bills have climbed nearly twice as fast.

Fast-food chains such as Lotteria and McDonald's boosted their menu prices earlier this year, blaming currency exchange issues and costlier ingredients. Coffee shops followed suit, with Starbucks and Mega Coffee charging more as bean prices soared.

"Since last year, the delivery fee has been passed on to the store owner due to the free delivery competition of delivery apps," one gimbap shop owner told reporters. "If you order 10,000 won or 15,000 won each, 4,000 won will be paid for commission and delivery."

Why are rising food prices concerning?

Several factors are driving the surge in dining costs. Unpredictable weather has disrupted food production, pushing ingredient prices skyward.

The meat and seafood sectors show this clearly, with prices leaping roughly 20% as farming conditions worsen. Kitchen staples such as flour, cheese, and sugar haven't escaped the trend either.

Office workers feel this pinch daily through what economists call "lunch inflation." The impact reaches into grocery aisles and home kitchens.

Digital ordering adds yet another expense layer. Restaurants increasingly set higher prices for app-ordered meals to offset platform fees. This practice helped drive lunch box prices up 11% in November compared with the year before.

What's being done about food price increases?

Solutions are emerging on multiple fronts. Agricultural scientists are breeding hardier crop varieties that can thrive despite erratic weather conditions.

What single change would make the biggest dent in your personal food waste? Not buying food I don't need 🧐 Freezing my food before it goes bad 🧊 Using my leftovers more effectively 🍲 Composting my food scraps 🌱 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The distribution network contains another opportunity for improvement. Streamlining how food moves from farms to tables could slash the massive middleman markup that currently approaches 50%.

Some politicians advocate for caps on what delivery platforms charge restaurants. Such measures would protect small-business owners and keep delivery services accessible.

Your choices matter too. Shop at farmers markets to bypass complex supply chains and their associated markups. Cook more meals at home to avoid restaurant premiums and delivery surcharges.

When grocery shopping, opt for what's in season and locally grown. These items travel shorter distances and don't require costly preservation methods.

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