Budget-conscious consumers flock to convenience stores for lunch

• Published date: 01 March 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

A 34-year-old office worker surnamed Kim said he does not have many choices for lunch these days as it costs at least 10,000 won ($7.5) to eat at a restaurant.

"My wife only gives me a 500,000 won monthly allowance from my salary which I use to buy lunch and drink coffee. In other words, I have 16,129 won to spend a day and if I want to save some money, I have to reduce my lunch cost," Kim said.

A 28-year-old college student surnamed Lee works part-time at a coffee shop and gives private tutoring lessons to high school students to pay rent for his flat and make a living. A recent surge in food prices has forced him to cut costs when dining out by choosing more cost-effective lunch packs sold at convenience stores.

"Saving at least 5,000 won a day helps a lot. I need extra money to hang out with my friends and go on dates with my girlfriend, which means I can't afford to spend more than 10,000 won per meal. Convenience store lunch boxes are the best option," Lee said.

Cheap lunch packs sold at local convenience stores have grown popular among young customers as dining prices continue to rise.

GS25, a convenience store operated by GS Retail, said sales of its new "Hyeja" lunch pack launched on Feb. 15, increased by 350...