Food Delivery in Korea: Best Apps and How to Order in English
One of the first joys you discover when living in Korea is the food delivery culture. Warm fried chicken, jjajangmyeon, or late-night tteokbokki brought right to your door, fast and cheap — it's genuinely one of the best parts of daily life here. But for newcomers, ordering can feel intimidating: the apps are mostly in Korean, they ask for ID verification, and the address format is confusing.
This guide clears all of that up — which apps work best for foreigners, how to get past the three big hurdles, and the handy Korean phrases that make ordering smooth from your very first meal.
Easiest for Tourists
Shuttle
100% English, no Korean phone or ID needed
Best for Expats
Coupang Eats
English support, super-fast delivery
Most Restaurants
Baemin
140,000+ restaurants, widest coverage
Typical Delivery
15–40 min
Often with live GPS tracking
1. The Main Apps — Which One Is for You?
Korea's Food Delivery Apps Compared
①
Shuttle — easiest for tourists & newcomers
Built for international users. Fully English, accepts foreign Visa/Mastercard and even PayPal, and needs no Korean phone number or ID. The catch: a smaller restaurant selection, strongest in expat areas like Itaewon and Hongdae, and slightly higher fees. Perfect for your first weeks or for tourists.
②
Coupang Eats — best all-round for expats
Has an English interface and is famous for speed (many orders in 15–20 min) with live tracking. Needs a Korean phone number linked to your ARC. Note: menus auto-translate, so the English isn't always accurate, and foreign cards are sometimes rejected.
③
Baemin (배달의민족) — the most options
Korea's biggest app, 140,000+ restaurants and the widest coverage. Mostly Korean, but more foreigner-accessible than it looks: you can order without an account, use a foreign phone number, and pay with a foreign card (select "해외 신용카드"). Pair it with a translation app for menus.
④
Yogiyo (요기요) — solid backup
Another major app, mostly Korean but with a web version you can run through Google Translate to browse and order in English. A good alternative when a restaurant isn't on your main app.
💡 Quick pick: Just arrived or visiting? Start with Shuttle. Settling in with an ARC and Korean number? Coupang Eats for everyday speed, Baemin when you want the most choices.
2. The Three Hurdles — and How to Clear Them
Almost every foreigner hits the same three walls. Here's how to get past each one.
Solving the Big Three
LanguageUse Coupang Eats or Shuttle for an English interface. On Korean-only apps, point Google Lens or Papago at the menu to translate in real time. Menus are often images, so a camera-translation app is your best friend.
ID VerificationMost major apps require a Korean phone number linked to your ARC. If you don't have one yet, use Shuttle (no verification needed), or ask a Korean friend to help with the one-time sign-up.
AddressThis causes most delivery mishaps. Korea uses Road Name Addresses. Set your location with the map/GPS pin, then add your building and unit number (e.g., Room 101, Building 102) at the end. Getting this right prevents over 80% of delivery problems.
3. Payment — What Actually Works
⚠️ This is where many orders fail. If you don't have a Korean bank account yet, your options are narrower — so know what each app accepts before you're hungry and frustrated.
Payment Options by App
Foreign cards & PayPal — ShuttleThe most reliable for international cards, and the only one that takes PayPal. Best when you don't have a Korean card.
Foreign cards — Baemin / YogiyoBaemin works with foreign credit cards (choose "해외 신용카드"). Yogiyo also accepts them. Coupang Eats supports them but sometimes rejects — have a backup.
Korean pay — KakaoPay / Naver PayThe smoothest option once you have a Korean bank account. Works on all apps and is the long-term resident's go-to. Cash on delivery still exists on some apps but is being phased out.
4. Ordering Step by Step
From App to Doorstep
1. Set AddressPin your location and add building/unit number. Save it so you don't redo it each time.
2. Browse & TranslatePick a restaurant, use Papago/Google Lens on the menu if it's in Korean. Watch the minimum order (often ₩10,000–15,000).
3. Add to Cart & PayApply any coupons, choose your payment method, and check the delivery fee (usually ₩1,000–5,000).
4. Track & ReceiveFollow the live GPS. Keep your phone nearby — the rider may call or message. No tipping needed.
💡 Copy-paste these into the "Request" box for the rider:
• Leave it at the door and ring the bell → 문 앞에 두고 벨 눌러주세요.
• Leave it at the security office → 택배함(경비실)에 맡겨주세요.
• I don't need disposable utensils → 일회용 수저는 안 주셔도 됩니다.
Note: some apps default to no utensils, so if you want a spoon and fork, check whether you need to request them.
• Leave it at the door and ring the bell → 문 앞에 두고 벨 눌러주세요.
• Leave it at the security office → 택배함(경비실)에 맡겨주세요.
• I don't need disposable utensils → 일회용 수저는 안 주셔도 됩니다.
Note: some apps default to no utensils, so if you want a spoon and fork, check whether you need to request them.
📌 Three-Line Summary
- Choose your app by situation: Shuttle (tourists/newcomers, full English, no ID), Coupang Eats (expats, fast + English), Baemin (most restaurants).
- Clear the three hurdles — language (Papago/Google Lens), ID (Korean number + ARC, or use Shuttle), and address (Road Name + building/unit number).
- For payment, Shuttle is best for foreign cards and PayPal; a Korean bank account + KakaoPay is smoothest long-term. Use the Korean request phrases for a smooth handoff.
"Korea's delivery system feels like magic once you're in.
Pick the right app, nail your address,
and dinner is just a few taps away."
Pick the right app, nail your address,
and dinner is just a few taps away."
Food delivery is one of the great everyday pleasures of life in Korea, and the language barrier is far easier to beat than it first appears. Start with the app that fits your situation, save your address correctly, keep a translation app handy, and you'll be ordering fried chicken to your door like a local in no time. Korea Explained will keep making life in Korea easier to understand.
※ This article is an informational guide based on public sources as of June 2026. App features, payment options, and foreigner-sign-up rules change frequently — verify the latest within each app. Mentioned apps and services are for reference only and are not endorsements.
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