South Korea: Food Service - Hotel Restaurant Institutional Annual
In 2022 (the latest official data available), South Korea's sales in the HRI food service sector reached 177.12 trillion KRW (137.1 billion USD), a 17.48 percent increase from 2021, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. In 2023, monthly per capita spending on the HRI food service rose to 179,648 KRW (139.1 USD), up 10.66 percent from 2022 and 30.65 percent from 2021. This growth reflects not only people returning to pre-pandemic lifestyles but also rising menu prices coming from increased costs. Despite challenges such as inflation and changing market conditions, Korea’s HRI food service sector is expected to maintain slow but steady growth through menu diversification and new food technology to meet consumers’ evolving needs.