Most Employees Want Workplace Cafeterias as Food Costs Rise
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
A survey of 1,000 Korean workers finds 90% agree companies need on-site cafeterias (구내식당). Rising food prices make meal support a key welfare measure: 79.9% want workplaces without food-cost worries and 72.3% want free meals three times a day. About 70% of workers with cafeterias use them most weekdays because they save money, time and reduce going out. Average cafeteria meals cost 5,000–6,000 won, easing daily living expenses. However, quality matters: 66.3% say a cafeteria is useless if food quality is poor, and 72.2% say meal quality affects workplace happiness and focus. Smaller firms often can’t provide cafeterias, creating gaps in benefits and feelings of relative deprivation. Overall, cafeterias are shifting from optional perks to essential cost-of-living safeguards for workers in Korea.
