A handwritten signal at a Korean restaurant declaring that it’ll not serve solo diners has stirred heated debate on-line, with most commenters criticizing the coverage however some arguing that enterprise house owners have the fitting to set their very own guidelines.
The controversy started on Monday when a social media consumer posted a photograph of the signal on Threads, saying, “I circled after seeing this on the entrance.” The discover listed 4 “choices” for patrons consuming alone: “1. Pay for 2 servings, 2. Eat two servings, 3. Name a buddy, 4. Come again together with your spouse subsequent time.” A speech bubble beneath the record learn, “We don’t promote loneliness. Please don’t come alone.” The tone made it clear that solo diners weren’t welcome.
Most on-line customers reacted negatively. Feedback included, “The proprietor’s mindset appears outdated” and “The proprietor in all probability thinks that is humorous.” Different customers, nevertheless, defended the restaurant, saying, “Individuals accepted cafés banning Chinese language prospects, however draw the road at banning solo diners? That’s contradictory” and “If the proprietor is keen to take the monetary hit, it’s their alternative and needs to be revered.”
A restaurant discover bans solo diners from watching YouTube whereas consuming. Captured from Thread
This isn’t the primary time Korea has seen controversy over the remedy of solo diners, generally known as “honbap” prospects in Korean. In July, a YouTuber visiting a restaurant in Yeosu alone ordered two servings however nonetheless acquired impolite feedback from workers, who informed her to “eat shortly” as a result of “extra persons are coming.” The incident sparked widespread criticism for what many noticed as unprofessional and discriminatory habits.
In Might, one other photograph went viral displaying an indication prohibiting solo diners from watching YouTube whereas consuming, including to rising discussions over how eating places view particular person prospects in a rustic the place solo eating is more and more frequent.
This text from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Instances, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Instances.
