If you've just landed in Seoul and your stomach's growling, you might think you need a Korean phone number to order food. Not true. Here's what actually works in 2025.
The Big Three Apps and What to Expect
Baemin (배달의민족) is probably your best bet. When you open it up, you'll see options for Google and Apple login right on the main screen. The phone verification part? You can actually use your home country number – just scroll through the country codes until you find yours. They take Visa, MasterCard, even JCB cards from overseas.
Yeah, everything's in Korean. But the buttons are where you'd expect them to be, and after fumbling through one order, you'll get the hang of it.
Coupang Eats is hit or miss with foreign cards. Sometimes the payment goes through, sometimes you'll stare at an error message. Pro tip: when you're adding a card, scroll way down in that bank list. There's usually a "foreign card" option hiding at the very bottom. Still might not work, but worth a shot.
Yogiyo technically takes foreign cards, but their phone verification is pretty strict. Most people have better luck with Baemin, honestly.
There's Also an App Just for Foreigners
Shuttle Delivery exists specifically for this situation. English interface, takes foreign cards, doesn't need a Korean phone number. The downside? Way fewer restaurants than the Korean apps. If you're staying in Gangnam or Itaewon, you'll have decent options. Residential areas? Not so much.
Getting Your Address Right (This Matters)
Don't try to translate or type your address manually. Open Naver Map or KakaoMap, find where you're staying, and copy the Korean address exactly. Paste it into the delivery app. This alone will save you from half the delivery problems.
Staying at a hotel? Add your room info like: "롯데호텔 서울 15층 1503호" (that's Lotte Hotel Seoul, 15th floor, room 1503).
At an Airbnb? Put any door codes or special instructions in the delivery notes. Korean delivery drivers deal with complicated buildings all day, but they need those details.
When Things Don't Work
Phone verification acting up? Try this stuff:
- Google or Apple sign-in sometimes skips the phone step entirely
- Make sure you're selecting your actual country code, not Korea's +82
- Some versions let you order as a guest (비회원 주문) without any verification
Payment failing over and over?
- Call your bank – international transactions might be blocked
- Guest checkout (비회원 주문) sometimes works when regular ordering doesn't
- Look for cash payment (현장 결제) if it's available
Stuff to Watch Out For
Those "helpful" services on Facebook that offer to order for you? Several have vanished with people's money. Just use the actual apps.
If a driver marks your food delivered but you never got it, screenshot everything right away. The apps have customer service chat features, and some even have English support now. Use them immediately.
The Reality
Some restaurants just won't deliver to hotels or temporary-looking addresses. They've been burned before by tourists who gave wrong room numbers or checked out early. When an order gets rejected, don't take it personally. Just try another place.
Random tip: Baemin's grocery delivery service (B마트/B-Mart) seems more willing to deliver to foreign addresses than restaurants. Good backup plan when you're striking out with regular food orders.
Download two or three apps and see what works for your specific card and location. A card that fails on Coupang might work fine on Baemin. The whole system's quirky that way.