At a self-order kiosk, make four checks before paying: where you will eat, what the meal includes, how many items are in the basket, and how the food will be called. A familiar food photo can hide a different portion or set-meal choice.
The screen sequence to look for
Machines differ by store and software. The following is an illustrative sequence using common Korean labels, not a screenshot walkthrough of a particular restaurant.
| Stage | Labels you may see | Decision to make |
|---|---|---|
| Eat here or take away | 매장 / 매장식사 · 포장 | Choose dine-in or takeout. Do this before selecting packaging-sensitive items. |
| Choose the product | 단품 · 세트 | Single item or set. Read what is included; a set photo is not a separate free side dish. |
| Choose options | 선택 · 추가 · 변경 | Select, add or change. Check whether each choice changes the price. |
| Review the basket | 장바구니 · 수량 · 삭제 | Basket, quantity, delete. Remove duplicates before checkout. |
| Pay | 결제 · 카드 · 현금 | Payment, card, cash. A cash option may direct you to a staffed counter; not every machine accepts notes. |
| Collect | 주문번호 · 픽업 · 수령 | Order number and pickup. Keep the receipt or pickup token until you receive the food. |
A burger-order example
Suppose you want one burger meal to eat inside. Choose 매장, then the burger and 세트. Read the drink and side choices before accepting them; a larger size or substituted side may carry an extra charge. Set the quantity to one and review the total. If you wanted only the burger, go back and select 단품 instead of paying for a set and trying to remove its contents afterward.
After payment, check whether the screen tells you to take a table marker, wait for a number or collect at the counter. A payment approval is not always the same as the final order-complete screen. Keep your card until the terminal tells you to remove it, then keep the receipt where you can read its order number.
Membership and phone-number prompts
적립 means collecting points; 쿠폰 means a coupon; 건너뛰기 means skip. If a clearly optional loyalty prompt offers a skip or no-membership route, use it when you do not have that account. Do not enter a stranger’s phone number. If a number is required for pickup notifications rather than points, ask staff how a visitor can receive the order.
A data connection does not automatically provide Korean SMS service or identity verification. The phone-number guide explains that separate issue. For a kiosk purchase, staff assistance may be simpler than signing up for another service.
Translation helps with labels, not certainty about ingredients
Look for the machine’s language selector first. If none appears, translate a photo of the relevant menu section without including other customers or payment details. Compare the translated item name with the basket and the displayed price. If the translation leaves uncertainty about portion size, meat or an allergen, ask the staff before paying.
Useful requests: 영어 메뉴가 있나요? means “Do you have an English menu?” 주문을 도와주세요. means “Please help me order.” 이건 단품인가요, 세트인가요? asks whether it is a single item or a set. Pointing to the exact basket entry is more useful than translating the whole screen repeatedly.
Payment failed—or the machine stopped after payment
- No payment approval: use the payment method the terminal actually offers. If contactless payment fails, ask staff whether an inserted card is supported. Do not assume a U.S., Canadian or Australian phone wallet is supported because the card works elsewhere.
- Bank alert but no order number: show staff the machine and time of the attempt. Ask them to check whether an order exists before restarting. Keep any printed receipt and avoid displaying full card details.
- Wrong order before paying: remove the item or cancel the basket and begin again. Look for 취소 (cancel) or 이전 (back), and check that the old quantity has disappeared.
- Wrong order after paying: take the receipt directly to staff. A kiosk’s back button cannot guarantee cancellation or a refund.
At a table-order screen, also check the table number and whether payment happens immediately or after the meal. Two people using the same table tablet can accidentally submit the same dish twice. Review the existing order list before adding another round.
Sources and checking date
Official information checked October 22, 2026. The button glossary and sample order are explanatory examples. No named kiosk, payment flow or ingredient translation was personally tested; screen wording varies.
Related: Restaurant seating and ordering · Cards and declined payments · Last-order deadlines