Food Delivery Orders Surge as Chuseok Traditions Move Online
Korean families are increasingly turning to delivery apps for traditional Chuseok dishes, shared meals and desserts, with platform data showing sharp holiday demand and changing ordering habits.
South Korea’s food delivery platforms are playing a growing role in Chuseok celebrations as households increasingly order traditional dishes and family-sized meals instead of preparing everything at home.
Woowa Brothers, operator of the country’s leading delivery app Baedal Minjok, said orders for songpyeon, the half-moon-shaped rice cakes closely associated with Chuseok, were 4.8 times higher on Chuseok Day last year than on the same day one week earlier.
Demand also climbed sharply for other holiday staples. Orders for modumjeon, an assortment of savory pancakes, rose 270 percent, while orders for namul, or seasoned vegetables, increased 135 percent. Galbijjim, a braised beef rib dish commonly served at family gatherings, recorded a 39 percent rise. Orders for traditional sweets including yakgwa and hangwa grew 44 percent.
The data illustrate how convenience is reshaping the practical side of one of Korea’s most important holidays. Rather than spending hours shopping and cooking, more families are using apps to supplement a home-prepared table or replace parts of the meal with ready-to-eat dishes. Demand was concentrated on Chuseok Day itself instead of being spread evenly throughout the holiday period.
Ordering patterns also reflected holiday travel and restaurant closures. On Chuseok Day last year, 67 percent of completed Baedal Minjok orders were customers’ first purchases from the particular merchant, compared with 49 percent in the previous week. People visiting their hometowns may be unfamiliar with nearby restaurants, while customers staying home may have to try alternatives when their usual choices close for the holiday.
Meal schedules shifted as well. About 40 percent of all orders on Chuseok Day last year were placed between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., when many families were preparing for morning ancestral rites or an early lunch. Baedal Minjok expects app use and first-time orders to become even more active this year because the holiday period is shorter than last year.
Data from rival platform Yogiyo point to a broader appetite for convenient shared meals. During last year’s Chuseok, pizza orders rose 21.8 percent from the preceding week, while burger and chicken orders increased 13.8 percent and 13 percent, respectively. Dessert demand was even stronger: ice cream orders jumped 90.1 percent and cafe latte orders rose 82.6 percent.
The figures suggest delivery apps are no longer limited to everyday convenience. They are becoming part of the holiday routine, serving traditional foods alongside pizza, chicken and desserts as Korean families adapt Chuseok meals to changing travel patterns, schedules and expectations.