The normal flow
- Pause at the entrance and look for a kiosk, waiting list, or counter queue.
- Check the table for a menu, tablet, QR code, or call button.
- Confirm whether payment happened when you ordered.
- After eating, follow 반납 for tray return or 계산 for payment.
Terms to recognize
| Korean | Meaning | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| 선불 | Pay first | Payment happens with the order |
| 후불 | Pay later | Usually at the counter after eating |
| 호출 | Call | Button used to request staff |
| 주문 | Order | Menu or tablet action |
| 계산 | Checkout | Ask for or complete payment |
| 반납 | Return | Tray or dish return point |
Do not copy the table beside you until you know whether they ordered earlier. The strongest clues are the equipment at your own table and whether customers carry receipts or trays from the entrance.
Read the room before choosing a seat
A host stand, numbered waiting tablet, or 대기표 sign means you should check in before sitting. In a small casual restaurant, an open table does not always mean self-seating; wait for eye contact and use 한 명이에요 or 두 명이에요 to state the party size. If staff points to a table, sit and check what ordering equipment is there.
A large kiosk by the entrance usually means order first. A menu board above a counter and customers holding receipts suggests counter-first service. Menus already on tables, a staff call button, or cutlery built into the table often suggests table ordering. A mounted tablet or QR card means the table itself is the ordering point.
Match the ordering flow
With table service, staff may approach automatically or wait for the 호출 button. Say 주문할게요 when ready. At a counter-first shop, choose items from the board, order at the counter, and check whether you receive a number, buzzer, or immediate tray. At a kiosk, the receipt usually carries the pickup number.
Table tablets can send an order directly without a final spoken confirmation. Review the cart and total before submitting. A QR menu can be informational only, or it can include payment. Look for a clear 주문완료 or 결제완료 message; simply adding items to a cart does not place the order.
Know how the meal ends
If you paid at a kiosk or counter, you normally leave after returning a tray when required. If you ordered at the table without paying, take the table number slip or receipt to the counter and say 계산할게요. Payment at the table exists but should not be assumed.
Return stations are marked 반납구, 퇴식구, or 식기반납. Separate cups, trays, and waste only when signs request it. At a full-service restaurant, leave dishes on the table. When uncertain, watch where departing customers go or ask 여기서 계산해요?—“Do I pay here?”
Sources checked
We use official operators and public agencies for details that can change. The practical interpretation is written and reviewed by MeKorean.
- Food and restaurant travel informationKorea Tourism Organization
- Basic Korean DictionaryNational Institute of Korean Language