[Report] Passersby Ask "What Line Is This?"... 'Morning Run' Unfolds in Front of Convenience Store

Seven Eleven 'Morning Run' Event
Popular Among Office Workers in High Inflation Era
"Hope There Are More Events Like This..."

"You can't even buy a bowl of gukbap for 5,000 won, so if an event like this happens, people would want to come even if they have to seek it out."

At 7:30 a.m. on the 10th, the area outside the Seven Eleven Sogong-dong branch in Jung-gu, Seoul, was bustling with people eager to participate in the 'Morning Run' event. News that they could buy triangle kimbap and coffee for 100 won had created a long line in front of the store even before the event started at 8 a.m. Inside the store, employees were busily stocking triangle kimbap on the shelves. One employee was seen opening and closing coffee lids, making final preparations before the event began.

People are lining up in front of the Seven Eleven Sogong-dong branch in Jung-gu, Seoul, to participate in the Morning Run event.
Photo by Minji Lee

Fifteen minutes before the event started, Mr. A, who appeared to be elderly, joined the waiting line carrying a blue paper box. Introducing himself as the manager of the neighboring building, he said, "I brought the box to buy 11 sets for the cleaning ladies working in our building and the parking attendant over there," and smiled, adding, "Yesterday, I got in right away, but maybe because the word spread widely, today we have to line up to get in."

As it neared 8 a.m., the line extended all the way to the coffee shop across the street. People hurrying to work asked, "What’s this line for?" and then hesitated, glancing at their watches, unsure whether to join the queue.

The Morning Run is an event held by convenience store Seven Eleven from the 8th to the 10th at the Sogong-dong and Jamsil branches, allowing customers to purchase a set of triangle kimbap and coffee (priced at 2,700 won) for 100 L.Points (100 won). This event was devised in response to the growing demand from consumers seeking affordable meals amid prolonged high inflation. In fact, from the 1st to the 8th, Seven Eleven’s morning sales (6 a.m. to 10 a.m.) of triangle kimbap increased by 60% compared to the same period last year. Sandwich sales rose by 30%, and sales of coffee and other items from Seven Cafe also increased by about 30% during the same period.

On the 9th, headquarters employees placed 100 triangular kimbap on the display at the Seven Eleven Sogong-dong branch in Jung-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Minji Lee]

Office workers say they can spend between 3,000 and 5,000 won on a morning meal, but with prices soaring, 3,000 won is hardly enough to comfortably buy even a roll of kimbap at a snack bar. Even the snack bars near City Hall, frequented by office workers for their affordability and accessibility, charge 3,500 won for a roll of kimbap and 1,300 won for a single fish cake skewer. Adding a reasonably priced takeout coffee (1,500 won) still leaves 5,000 won far from sufficient. For office workers who have to eat both breakfast and lunch outside, they have no choice but to seek out places with relatively low prices to save every penny.

Mr. B, in his 40s, who happened to learn about the Morning Run event through an internet search, said, "I hope there are more events like this," adding, "I usually get breakfast at a convenience store for under 3,000 won, but every time I buy something, I often think, ‘Has the price really gone up this much?’ Just looking at the price of jajangmyeon these days..." and sighed. Part-time worker Ms. C, who was serving customers at the register, said, "Many of our customers are office workers from nearby hotels and department stores, and sometimes they ask, ‘Why is it so expensive?’ when they pay by card," adding, "Soy milk sells well in the morning, but most people are surprised when they see the increased price."

Seven Eleven plans to offer various events to help ease meal concerns starting with this event. Kim Eun-hye, the MD in charge of Seven Cafe at Seven Eleven’s ready-to-eat food team who planned this event, said, "Yesterday, all 100 limited sets of triangle kimbap and coffee sold out within an hour," adding, "We planned the event without burdening franchise stores, and since the response was good, we are considering holding surprise events at other branches with many office workers."

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