"Why Do Office Workers Now Flock to Cafes on Their Morning Commute?... The Sudden Shift in Coffee Habits [How We Live and Buy Today]"

Low-Cost Coffee Brands Thrive on Price and Accessibility
Mega Coffee Overtakes Starbucks in Monthly Usage for the First Time
Delivery, Decaf, and Specialty Tea Shops Drive Situation-Based Consumption

Editor's NoteWhat are people buying these days? From essential household items at Daiso, to cosmetics that sell out at Olive Young, to bread that requires waiting in line — today’s market trends are clearly reflected in these familiar scenes of consumption. The series "How We Live and Buy Today" examines current consumer trends by exploring everyday best-sellers. We take a closer and more engaging look at what products are being chosen and what strategies are prompting people to spend — making sense of the changing landscape in the consumer space.

"I used to enjoy showing up to work with a Starbucks coffee in hand, but these days I just pick up a 2,000 won coffee from the Mega Coffee right in front of my office. The taste is similar, so I don't see any reason to pay several thousand won more."

Office workers are drinking coffee after having lunch at a park in downtown Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News.

This is according to Ms. A, an office worker who was once known as a "Starbucks enthusiast." Recently, the way people use cafes has changed. On the way to work, they buy coffee in the 2,000 won range. During lunch, they look for a cafe close to the office. In the afternoons, they order drinks via delivery apps, and later in the evening, they may opt for decaf.

Where consumers once showed strong loyalty to specific brands, today, people are more likely to choose cafes based on price, convenience, or the purpose of their visit. As a result, low-cost coffee brands have seen explosive growth.

The Coffee Market Has Grown... But Spending Per Visit Has Fallen

Despite ongoing high inflation, coffee consumption has actually increased. According to MBRAIN's deep data analysis of purchasing patterns released on August 15, the estimated purchase amount in the coffee and beverage sector over the past year reached KRW 11.3987 trillion, an 8.8% increase from the previous year. Accumulated sales for the first quarter of this year were KRW 2.7859 trillion, up 8.7% year-over-year.

The growth in market size was driven by increased frequency of consumption. In the first quarter of this year, the number of orders rose 9.6% from a year earlier, while average order frequency per person went up 7.1%. Meanwhile, the average amount spent per purchase dropped by 0.9%. Takeout purchases also rose by 13.9% during the same period.

Although the amount spent on a single cup of coffee has decreased, consumers are ordering more frequently, resulting in an overall market boom driven by “low-cost, high-frequency” consumption. Coffee has become less of a special-occasion treat and more of a routine beverage, consumed repeatedly during commutes, after meals, and even in the middle of the workday.

Office workers who had lunch at a park in downtown Seoul are drinking coffee. Photo by Yonhap News

People in Their 20s Drink Coffee Most Often, but Spend the Least

The generation driving this consumption trend is people in their 20s. According to an NH Nonghyup Bank analysis of last year’s Nonghyup Card customer data, those in their 20s visited coffee shops 26 times a year on average — the most among all age groups. Those in their 30s were at 24 times, those in their 40s at 20.1 times, those in their 50s at 17.1 times, and those in their 60s at 11.5 times.

However, the average amount spent per transaction by people in their 20s was 6,800 won, lower than the 9,500 won spent by those in their 60s. This indicates that younger consumers are handling their expenses by choosing lower-priced brands rather than reducing the frequency of their coffee purchases.

Indeed, among “frequent users” who exceeded the average number of coffee shop visits, Mega MGC Coffee accounted for the highest brand share at 33%. This was followed by Compose Coffee at 26%, Paik’s Coffee at 21%, Starbucks at 20%, and Ediya at 18%. Combined, the three major low-cost brands — Mega Coffee, Compose Coffee, and Paik’s Coffee — accounted for up to 80% of frequent visits.

2,000-Won Coffee Surpasses Starbucks

Mega MGC Coffee. Yonhap News Agency

This surge in low-priced coffee is also evident in recent cafe usage rates. According to the “Cafe Trend Report 2026” released by Opensurvey on August 15, a survey of 2,000 men and women aged 20 to 59 nationwide found that Mega Coffee ranked first, with 71.0% having visited the brand in the past month.

Starbucks came in second at 69.2%. This marks the first time Mega Coffee has overtaken Starbucks in monthly usage experience. Mega Coffee’s usage rate rose by 5 percentage points year-over-year, while Starbucks fell by 12.5 percentage points. Compose Coffee rose by 7 percentage points to 52.9%, and A Twosome Place increased by 4.2 percentage points to 48.6%.

This gap appears not only in visitation experience but also in repeat visits. When asked which cafe they frequent most often, 31.9% named Mega Coffee — up 4.9 percentage points from the previous year. Starbucks, by contrast, dropped by 15.3 percentage points to 26.1%. Mega Coffee’s average monthly visits were the highest among major brands at 7.02 times, while Starbucks saw a year-over-year decline of 1.43 to 5.30 times a month.

On June 22, the lights were off at a Starbucks store in downtown Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Price competitiveness is not just about offering a cheaper alternative — it is becoming a main reason for repeated visits. In particular, the rise in Mega Coffee’s primary usage rates was most pronounced among women and people in their 20s.

Low-Cost Coffee Dominates Delivery Too

The places and methods of using cafes have also changed. In the past month, 63.9% of consumers who purchased cafe or bakery beverages reported having used cafe delivery. Among those who placed delivery orders themselves, 35.4% said their frequency of use increased compared to the previous year.

The leading reason for using delivery was “It’s inconvenient to go to the store in person” (50.7%), followed by “There are more cafes offering delivery” (41.1%), and “I’ve developed the habit of enjoying drinks comfortably at home or at the office” (37.1%).

A delivery worker is moving through downtown Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Low-cost brands also held a dominant share among delivery customers. Of those who ordered delivery directly, 69.4% picked from small, inexpensive franchises like Mega Coffee, Paik’s Coffee, and Compose Coffee. In comparison, large and high-priced franchises accounted for 44.9%, and medium-sized, mid-priced franchises accounted for 43.9%.

When choosing a delivery cafe, customers considered price and order conditions in addition to taste. Summing the preferences for 1st to 3rd priorities: taste was most important at 43.6%, followed by menu price at 39.2%, minimum order amount at 32.2%, and delivery fee at 30.5%.

In a situation where the need to physically visit a cafe is gone, customers are placing more weight on price, order conditions, and convenience — more than the brand name itself.

Coffee Choices Are Changing by Situation... Decaf Becoming Mainstream

Coffee drink preferences are also becoming more segmented. Of 399 people who changed their coffee bean orders in the past month, 78.3% chose decaf options.

The most common reason for choosing decaf was “Wanting to enjoy the taste of coffee while avoiding caffeine” at 65.1%, followed by “When drinking in the evening or at night” at 62.8%, and “When having an extra cup after already drinking coffee” at 51.9%.

Whereas decaf was once a niche option for heavy coffee drinkers or those trying to cut down on caffeine, it has now become a standard menu option that people choose based on the time of day or their personal situation.

There are also more consumers choosing tea over coffee. According to the Opensurvey, in the past month, the usage rates of specialty tea shops were 5.6% for HeyTea, 5.3% for Chagee, and 5% for Chabaekdo. While their current market share is still limited, intentions for future use were much higher: 36.7% for HeyTea, 34.9% for Chagee, and 30.1% for Chabaekdo. In particular, intentions to use such shops were relatively high among young women in their 20s and 30s.

Even Coffee Is "Different Every Time" ... Changing Cafe Consumption Patterns

The latest shift in the cafe market is a move away from brand loyalty, with more people making situational choices. On the way to work, they buy low-cost coffee near their office; at lunch, they visit a cafe nearby with coworkers. In the afternoon, drinks are ordered through delivery apps; later in the evening, decaf is chosen. On weekends, they might check out a newly opened specialty tea shop.

The criteria for competition in the cafe market are changing as well. While brand image, space, and menu uniqueness used to be key competitive factors, today, price, convenience, frequency of use, delivery availability, and menu variety — the practical aspects experienced during use — have become more important. Consumers are now prioritizing “What kind of coffee do I need right now?” over “Which cafe do I like best?”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.