"Fast Food Chains Only Offer Coffee To-Go? ... Then Just Order a Hamburger"

Fast Food Cafes Attracting Study Groups
No Drinking Like in Cafes
But Ordering a Burger Allows In-Hall Use
"No Study Spots, A Few Thousand Won Is Worth It"

On the afternoon of the 29th, at a fast food restaurant near Hongdae in Mapo-gu, Seoul, students studying while eating are seen. Photo by Suhwan Kim ksh2054@

[Asia Economy Reporters Jung Yoon Lee, Suhwan Kim] "If I just order one more 3,000 won hamburger, I can study for hours like before."

At 4 p.m. on the 29th, it was easy to find kagong (cafe study) groups at a fast food restaurant in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. Among about 10 customers, three were diligently taking notes in thick notebooks with their laptops open. From this day forward, seating was only available to customers who ordered food, so the usual sight of kagong groups studying while just ordering a cup of coffee was no longer seen. Next to the laptops were a drink and a hamburger. Choi (27), a university student, said, "I was told that if I only order a drink, I can't use the store, so I ordered a hamburger as well," adding, "There aren't many places to study these days, so spending a few thousand won more isn't a big deal."

At three fast food restaurants near Hongdae and Yeongdeungpo Station visited that day, kagong groups were spotted among customers eating meals. For every 10 customers, 2 to 4 were intensely studying while ordering an additional hamburger along with their drinks. The food was barely touched. Some even looked at newspapers without opening the hamburgers they ordered. Jang (25), a university student, explained, "I usually study at cafes, but since hall use is not allowed and libraries are closed, the hamburger places are relatively cheap and quiet, so I order just one food item and study."

Earlier on the 27th, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters decided that only takeout or delivery would be allowed when ordering coffee, drinks, or desserts at fast food restaurants. With the ban on cafe hall use, it was expected that the number of people visiting fast food restaurants to study would sharply decrease due to a balloon effect. However, since ordering just one hamburger regardless of price still allows studying inside the store as before, fast food restaurants continue to serve as a sanctuary(?) for kagong groups.

As kagong groups stayed for long hours at fast food restaurants, some completely forgot the quarantine rules. At a fast food restaurant near Hanyang University, two kagong members were talking with their masks pulled down to their chins. There were also people sitting in seats with signs saying "Please leave this seat empty for social distancing," huddled with companions watching online lectures. Similar scenes were observed at fast food restaurants near Yeongdeungpo Station. Although kagong groups crowded fast food restaurants and there were cases of quarantine rule violations, proper management was not carried out. An employee A at a fast food restaurant in Hongdae said, "Some people order only basic menu items like sandwiches and study, but we do not specifically sanction them," adding, "There is no time limit for eating." Some places advised customers to wear masks except when eating and limited store use to one hour, but no staff were seen enforcing these rules.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.