How to Order Food Delivery in Korea Without a Korean Phone Number

Your stomach is growling. It’s 9 p.m., you’re back at your apartment or hotel, and all you want is a bowl of jjajangmyeon(짜장면).

Then the delivery app asks for a Korean phone number.

The menu is in Korean. Your foreign card gets declined. And suddenly ordering dinner feels harder than navigating Seoul Station.

I’ve been there. My first week in Korea, I stared at a delivery app like it was written in code. I eventually gave up and ate cup ramen. Twice.

So, if you’re wondering how to order food delivery in Korea, especially without a Korean phone plan, here’s the practical way to do it.

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Which food delivery app is best for foreigners?

Korea has several food delivery apps, but the two names you’re most likely to encounter are Coupang Eats (쿠팡이츠) and Baemin (배달의민족).

Coupang has introduced an English interface for its app, making navigation much easier for foreign customers.

Baemin also operates an English-language global page specifically aimed at visitors, highlighting delivery to hotels, Airbnbs and other locations.

Which one should you try first?

For most first-time foreign users, I’d start with Coupang Eats if you already have a Coupang account.

The reason is simple: you may be able to use your existing Coupang account rather than starting completely from scratch.

Baemin is still worth trying, especially if you have a Korean phone number and want more restaurant choices.

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Do you need a Korean phone number to order food?

Not necessarily.

This is one of the most important things to understand.

Your ability to order depends on the app, account, payment method and verification process. A Korean phone number can make things much easier, but it isn’t automatically required for every foreign visitor in every situation.

If you don’t have a Korean SIM

Try this order of attack:

1. Check whether you already have a Coupang account.
2. Download or open Coupang Eats.
3. Log in using your existing account if available.
4. Add your Korean delivery address.
5. Check whether your foreign card is accepted.
6. If the payment goes through, place a small first order.

That last step matters.

Don’t make your first order a huge dinner for six people. Test the system with something simple first.

Honestly, saving yourself from a hungry 10 p.m. meltdown is worth it.

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Will a foreign credit card work?

This is where things can get frustrating.

A foreign Visa or Mastercard may work with some Korean delivery services, but international-card acceptance isn’t guaranteed for every app, restaurant or issuing bank.

So if your card is rejected, don’t immediately assume you’ve entered something incorrectly.

Try:

• Another international card
• A different payment option offered in the app
• A smaller order
• Another restaurant
• Coupang Eats if Baemin fails
• Baemin if Coupang Eats fails

Payment compatibility can vary, and Korean domestic payment systems are often designed around local cards and payment services.

The smart move: test before you’re starving

If you’re staying in Korea for several weeks, test your delivery app while you’re still comfortable enough to troubleshoot.

That way, when the rain starts and you’re craving fried chicken, you aren’t discovering that your payment method doesn’t work.

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How to enter your Korean delivery address

This is arguably more important than knowing Korean.

Korean delivery addresses can contain:

• Building name
• Building number
• Apartment number
• Floor
• Unit number
• Entrance information
• Delivery instructions

If you’re staying in an apartment, residence or Airbnb, make sure you know the exact building and unit information before ordering.

A vague GPS pin can create problems.

For example, don’t simply enter:

Seoul, Korea

Give the app the complete address and, where possible, add your building and unit number.

What should you write in delivery instructions?

Keep it short.

For example:

Please leave it at the door. Thank you.

Or:

Call me when you arrive.

You don’t need to write a complicated paragraph. Delivery riders mainly need to know where exactly to leave the food.

And yes, numbers are your friend here. Even when your Korean is basically nonexistent, building and room numbers still work.

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What if you can’t read the Korean menu?

Don’t panic.

Look for familiar categories such as:

• Chicken
• Pizza
• Burger
• Korean food
• Chinese food
• Japanese food
• Cafe
• Dessert
• One-person meals

If you want to try Korean food but don’t know what to order, start with dishes that are relatively easy to identify.

Beginner-friendly delivery choices:

• 🍗 Fried chicken
• 🍜 Jjajangmyeon
• 🍲 Tteokbokki
• 🍚 Bibimbap
• 🥟 Mandu
• 🍕 Korean-style pizza

And here’s a useful trick: look at the food photos before worrying about the Korean name.

Sometimes the picture tells you more than Google Translate does.

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What if the delivery rider calls you?

This is the moment many foreigners dread.

Your phone rings.

You answer.

Someone speaks Korean very quickly.

You understand approximately zero percent.

Relax.

If you’re staying at a hotel or serviced residence, you can often tell the rider the hotel or building name and wait near the entrance if necessary.

You can also keep a simple message ready:

“I don’t speak Korean. Please leave it at the door. Thank you.”

Or simply show the delivery information on your phone if communication becomes difficult.

Most importantly, make your location obvious before the rider arrives.

That’s much easier than trying to explain your building after the phone starts ringing.

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Which app is actually better for foreigners?

Answer: Coupang Eats is often the easier starting point for a newcomer, particularly if you already use Coupang.

Why? Coupang has added an English interface for foreign customers, including English navigation across shopping and ordering functions.

Baemin is still an excellent second option. Its English-facing service specifically promotes delivery for travelers staying at hotels, Airbnbs and other locations.

So my practical recommendation is:

No Korean number + existing Coupang account → Try Coupang Eats first.

Korean phone number + staying longer → Set up both Coupang Eats and Baemin.

Having two apps is surprisingly useful. If one app refuses your card or doesn’t have the restaurant you want, you simply switch.

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What should you do if nothing works?

If you’re on a short trip, don’t spend an hour fighting an app just to order a ₩15,000 meal.

Try one of these instead:

• Ask your hotel front desk to help place an order.
• Ask your accommodation host for delivery instructions.
• Ask a Korean friend to help with the first order.
• Try another delivery app.
• Choose a nearby restaurant with pickup.
• Buy dinner from a convenience store when you’re completely stuck.

Sometimes the smartest solution isn’t the most technologically impressive one.

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Final tip: Make your first Korean delivery order easy

If I were arriving in Korea tomorrow without a Korean phone number, I’d do this:

Once that first order arrives at your door, the whole system suddenly makes sense.

And honestly, that’s when Korean food delivery becomes addictive.

A hot plate of tteokbokki arriving at your door on a rainy Seoul night? Yeah, that’s one part of Korea you’ll probably miss when you leave.

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