“One Iced Americano and Noodles, Please”: Why Cafes Are Becoming Meal Spots [Now Buying Trends]

The Venti’s Cold Chogyeguksu Sparks Interest

MegaMGC Cup Chicken, Compose Tteokbokki Also Popular

A Saturated Cafe Market: Meal Menus Pave the Way Forward

Editor's NoteWhat are people buying these days? From must-have household goods at Daiso, to cosmetics at Olive Young that constantly sell out, to bakeries that draw long lines—our everyday consumer choices clearly reflect the currents of today's market. is a series that analyzes contemporary consumer trends through a closer look at best-selling everyday products. We explore which products get chosen, which strategies prompt shoppers to open their wallets, and how the retail landscape is changing—making these insights accessible and intriguing.

Capture of Naver Blog 'Kimcookie's Dopamine'

"One iced Americano and one Chogyeguksu to go, please."

It is no longer unusual to see people ordering coffee and noodles at the same time. Beyond sandwiches and baked goods, cafe menus now include tteokbokki, chicken, fried rice, and noodles. Cafes are evolving from places where people simply drink coffee and enjoy desserts, to spaces where they can have a simple meal as well.

Behind this trend are the saturated coffee market and changes in consumer behavior brought on by high inflation. As it has become difficult for cafes to increase sales with beverages alone, the industry is turning to meal options in order to boost average spending per customer and expand into new time slots. For consumers, the convenience of being able to get both coffee and a quick meal in one place has become an important factor in their choices.

From Cup Noodles to Cup Chicken: Blurring the Boundaries of Cafes

This transformation is most visible at low-cost coffee franchises. The Venti recently collaborated with a Dangjin-based restaurant called Gilmonggaon to release “Special Cold Chogyeguksu”—a cup meal featuring chicken and a vinegar-based broth with noodles. Earlier, in June, The Venti also released tteokbokki and soboro rice, expanding its lineup of simple meal options.

Compose Coffee Tteokbokki. Compose Coffee

MegaMGC Coffee is also offering “MGCne Seasoned Cup Chicken,” a collaborative menu item with the chicken brand Sase, which surpassed 350,000 units sold in just four weeks after launch. Compose Coffee’s “Chewy Bunmoja Tteokbokki” sold more than 140,000 units within two weeks of launch.

Large cafe brands are also ramping up their meal offerings. A Twosome Place introduced paninis and sandwiches in collaboration with Samyang Foods’ “Buldak” brand. During the sales period for the “Buldak Cheese Melt Panini,” sales in the panini category increased about 40% year-over-year. The cafe also offers meal combos so that customers can order a meal and a drink, such as an Americano, together.

Ediya Coffee is also expanding its lineup of quick meal options beyond sandwiches, including fried rice and tteokbokki. Tim Hortons is utilizing its in-store kitchen, “Tim’s Kitchen,” to serve up sandwiches, salads, soups, and other meal items.

Tim Hortons, 'Craverble' 4 Types. BKR

A Saturated Coffee Market: The Survival Equation for ‘Low Average Spending’

The fundamental backdrop for cafes setting the “table” with meal options is the severely oversaturated domestic coffee market. Especially as the number of outlets for major low-cost coffee brands has exploded into the thousands, there is a clear limitation in boosting per-store sales through Americano sales priced at just 1,500 to 2,000 won.

As a result, companies are turning to a strategy in which coffee is used to attract customers into stores, while meal options priced at 3,000 to 5,000 won help increase the average transaction value per customer.

The ability to extend cafe business across more hours is another appeal of meal offerings. Rather than just focusing on the hours when coffee and desserts are popular, cafes can now capture demand for breakfast, lunch, or light dinners as well.

Delivery is also a key reason. By bundling coffee and meal menu items together, cafes can increase the value of a single order. Simple-to-prepare menu items like cup noodles, tteokbokki, or cup chicken also help lighten the workload of store operations.

High Inflation Pressure and the Appeal of Novel Menus

Changes in consumer behavior are reinforcing these trends. With prolonged inflation making lunch costs more burdensome, young professionals and students, in particular, are increasingly turning to an efficient approach—getting both coffee and a quick meal at a cafe instead of a restaurant.

In fact, according to purchase big data from the market research institute Macromill Embrain, not only did the estimated total food purchases at major cafe brands jump 11.4% last year, but spending on cooked bread—often used as meal substitutes—surged 141% year-over-year. This underscores how consumers are now visiting cafes not just for drinks, but to address their meal needs as well.

The buzz that comes with unique menu offerings cannot be ignored. Products such as chogyeguksu, cup chicken, or bunmoja tteokbokki—which are far from traditional cafe fare—can spark consumer curiosity. With social media enabling people to spot new menu items and share their firsthand purchase experiences, sometimes the menu itself serves as content that promotes the brand.

Operational Burden for Franchisees and the Challenge of Brand Identity

However, expanding the menu also poses challenges, as it can increase the workload for franchise operators. Selling more than just coffee means added complexity in raw material and inventory management, along with more involved preparation processes. As cafes have to serve both drinks and meal items in spaces with limited staff and floor space, maintaining product quality becomes ever more important.

There is also the issue of brand identity: if cafes expand their food offerings too much, they risk diluting their core image as coffee specialists.

As cafes broaden their reach into the meal market, the time and place they occupy in consumers’ daily lives are expanding as well. Ultimately, competition in the industry is shifting from “what more can we sell” to “what situations will bring customers back to the cafe.”

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