Rainy season wreaks havoc on food service industry
A delivery worker rides a scooter during heavy rain in Gangnam, Seoul, on July 4. Newsis
By Kim Jae-heun
Local restaurants are growing increasingly concerned as the entire country experiences the influence of summer monsoon rains, leading to a decline in the number of customers at restaurants and online food delivery orders.
Restaurant sales are affected particularly by the intensity of rainfall, declining sharply during downpours. But in case of light rain, food delivery orders increase, compensating for in-store sales.
The majority of restaurants in the country are currently on high alert due to the monsoon season, which is expected to continue until next week.
“When there is torrential rainfall, we have zero customers. People either eat at their company cafeterias or buy food at nearby convenience stores. I am sure many restaurateurs will have a hard time even finding a delivery worker to bring food in the rain. They don't pick up calls for deliveries, because it is dangerous to drive a motorbike in the rain,” a restaurant manager surnamed Huh in Yongsan, Seoul, said.
Most of the restaurants here outsource delivery services to an external company. When there is rain or snow, delivery service companies raise fees for delivery workers. But in extreme weather conditions, few if any delivery workers want to take orders. Restaurant owners are also reluctant to take orders, because consumers will complain if their food comes late and leave bad reviews online.
Business during monsoon is even worse for restaurants dealing with fresh foods, such as vegetables and fruit.
“For a salad restaurant owner like me, sales during rainy season drop 20 percent to 30 percent due to a shortage of delivery workers. I usually receive 30 calls for online orders on a daily basis, but during heavy rainfall, I only get 20 orders,” a salad restaurant owner surnamed Kim in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, said.
Skyrocketing prices of food materials are another problem. During monsoon season, vegetables prices soar five times to seven times higher than during the dry season.
“The price of vegetables vary at auction markets depending on the weather. For example, 1 kilogram of Romaine lettuce costs 6,500 won ($5.1). However, on a rainy day, the price goes up to 35,000 won to 50,000 won max," Kim said