Korean Delivery App Words: How to Order Food in Korean
Korean delivery apps make it easy to order food in Korean without ever calling a restaurant. Here's the vocabulary you need — from 배달비 (delivery fee) to writing a 요청사항 (special request) — to order like a local.
Published:
Written by Alvin Lim Certified Korean Language Teacher (Level 2)
Korean delivery apps have made ordering food almost entirely text-based — you can order food in Korean, pay in-app, and track the rider on a map without saying a word out loud. That’s great news for learners, since you get to read and type real Korean at your own pace. Whether you want 배달 (delivery) to your door or 포장 (pickup) on the way home, here’s the vocabulary that gets you from browsing to eating.
Placing the order
These are the words you’ll see on nearly every screen before you even pick a dish.
Every restaurant listing lets you pick 배달 or 포장 before you even browse the menu, and the app shows the estimated 주문 total, including any 배달비, before you confirm. Some restaurants also list a 최소주문금액 (minimum order amount) you have to reach first.
Reviews, ratings, and choosing where to order
Korean delivery apps lean heavily on community feedback, so these words help you judge a restaurant before ordering.
A restaurant with lots of 리뷰 and a high 별점 is usually a safe bet, and once your order is confirmed the app shows a live map counting down to 도착. If the rider is unusually 빨리, don’t be surprised — many areas in Korea have famously fast delivery. Want to build on this? See our guide on ordering food in Korean for restaurant phrases beyond the app.
Writing a request, and one usage note
The most useful box on the whole checkout screen is the one most learners skip.
The 요청사항 box appears right before you confirm your order, and 문 앞에 놓아 주세요 (“please leave it in front of the door”) is by far the most common phrase typed there — contactless drop-off is the default expectation on Korean delivery apps now. You can also add a note like 맵지 않게 해 주세요 (“please make it not spicy”) for the kitchen. One quick usage note: 요청사항 always goes to the restaurant or rider, not customer service, so keep it short and practical rather than a full sentence of small talk. If a rider does need to reach you, they may call — see our guide on handling Korean phone calls so you’re ready either way, and check out more everyday Korean food vocabulary while you wait for your order to arrive.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between 배달 and 포장 in Korean delivery apps?
배달 (bae-dal) means delivery — the food is brought to your door — while 포장 (po-jang) means takeout/pickup, where you order ahead and grab it yourself, usually with no delivery fee. Most Korean delivery apps let you toggle between the two when you order, and 포장 orders are sometimes a little cheaper since there's no 배달비 (delivery fee) added.
What is 배달비 and is it always charged?
배달비 (bae-dal-bi) is the delivery fee, charged on top of your food total to cover the rider's trip. It varies by distance and restaurant, and some places waive it above a certain order size or during promotions.
You'll also often see a 최소주문금액 (choe-so-ju-mun-geum-aek), or minimum order amount, that your order needs to reach before you can even check out.
How do I write a delivery request like 'leave it at the door' in Korean?
You'd write it in the 요청사항 (yo-cheong-sa-hang, special request) box at checkout, which appears before you confirm your order. A very common phrase is 문 앞에 놓아 주세요 (mun a-pe no-a ju-se-yo), meaning 'please leave it in front of the door.
' You can also add 벨 누르지 마세요 (beol nu-reu-ji ma-se-yo, 'please don't ring the bell') if you'd rather not be disturbed.