Restaurant Owners Hit by Heavy Penalties When Ending Rental Contracts for Service Robots
Creatrip Team
7 months ago
Small restaurant owners in Korea are facing large cancellation fees when they try to terminate rental contracts for digital and unmanned equipment (e.g., 서빙 로봇 — serving robots, 키오스크 — kiosks, 태블릿 — table-order tablets). Cases include a chicken shop asked to pay 60% of remaining fees plus waived installation charges after 8 months, and a Chinese restaurant charged 70% of remaining rental fees after 10 months. The Korea Fair Trade Mediation Agency (한국공정거래조정원) says many disputes arise because contracts contain clauses on early termination, installation fee recovery, or discount clawbacks that small businesses often overlook. Of 442 contract disputes handled last year, 124 (28.1%) involved rentals and 93 were in food service. The agency helps recalculate penalties based on equipment reuse value and standard guidelines, but if companies refuse mediation, litigation may follow. Businesses are advised to check penalty and refund clauses before signing and can apply for mediation online or via a dispute call center.
