더본코리아

So famous and satisfying

I’ve been a Paik’s Coffee fan since my college days. While there are significant differences depending on the branch, I don’t think that’s the headquarters’ fault. Also, there are definitely competitive advantages over other similar cafes. This is a huge part of it, and since I’ve experienced it myself, I can’t quite put it into words. Anyway, I hope Paik’s Coffee stays with me and doesn’t change even when I become an old lady. And Paik’s Chino is so delicious.

Around 5:30 PM on August 17, 2024, at the recently opened Hong Kong Banjeom located in the food court of the Hmart Korean supermarket in Ridgefield, New Jersey, in the eastern United States, I, a 70-year-old, along with my parents and siblings—a total of five people—ordered Jajangmyeon, Tray Jajangmyeon, Shrimp Fried Rice, Jjamppong, and Sweet and Sour Pork. Since it was our first visit and we wanted to share, I went all the way to the food counter to ask for an empty bowl of Jajangmyeon, and Mr. I asked a person named Park for a table, but he flatly refused, saying they didn't have enough bowls. I returned to my seat, but when I went back and asked for at least a plate, he again said they didn't have enough bowls and gave me a tiny bowl that looked like a rice bowl, treating me unpleasantly. The Jaengban Jjajang was so spicy that I only took one bite, as they added a lot of dried Vietnamese chili peppers without any prior notice on the menu stating it was spicy. The Jjajangmyeon was excessively sweet, and the noodles were undercooked, making it inedible. Given the small size of the Korean diaspora community, I believe that if you operate with such unfriendliness and poor quality, it will be difficult to achieve your desired business goals. I request improvements in service and quality.

I went to Saemaeul Restaurant Ueno branch today with high expectations since it's a restaurant run by Baek Jong-won, but the kimchi stew that came out looked like leftovers. I'd like to attach a photo so you can see what I mean... It should be somewhat similar to the picture, right? And hygiene... There was a foreign substance on the dishes... I think I need to wash them thoroughly.

I am a resident of Wonjong-dong, Bucheon. As a coffee addict, I drink hand-drip coffee every day even if it means skipping meals. However, being a working-class person, I look for affordable coffee. That is why I used to mainly drink the coffee from ‘Coffee in Love,’ which costs 1,000 won per cup. These days, because it is hot, an iced coffee costs 1,500 won, and upgrading the size costs 2,000 won, so I visited the Paik's Coffee that recently opened at Wonjong Intersection. Riding on the fame of Baek Jong-won, Paik's Coffee is thriving under the slogan "Big, Cheap, and Delicious." Since a large-sized iced coffee costs 2,000 won, I felt that even as a working-class person, I could use it without much burden. I had intended to enjoy a cup of coffee, but my day was completely ruined by abusive service targeting ordinary people. On May 14, 2016, I was on my way to my boyfriend’s uncle’s 70th birthday party in his car. I decided to buy something while waiting briefly in the car, so I hurriedly ran. Since Paik's Coffee has a window facing the main road where you can order and pick up your drink outside, I stood at the open window counter, remembering how convenient it had been in the past. However, a female employee told me to come inside to order. Although I felt slightly annoyed, I went inside and placed my order. There were no people waiting ahead of me, so I was able to order immediately without waiting; it wasn't that busy. She told me she would call out number 413. I took my ticket, went back outside, and stood in front of the window service counter. Then, the female employee who took my order said again curtly, "Please come inside and wait." I said, "Please give it to me here," to which she replied, "We are busy, so please pick it up inside." The employee only needed to extend their arm inward or outward, but for a customer, getting from the outside to the inside was complicated as they had to pass through the door and people standing around. Considering the person waiting in the car, every second counted, so I requested, "I'm busy too, so please serve me here." The female employee pouted and wrote something on the order slip. She made me wait outside for 10 minutes (5:44 PM to 5:54 PM) while calling out number 414 first, then number 415. My number was 413... You all know that "Iced Americano" is the simplest item in the coffee recipe. When I asked, "Why didn't you give me number 413 and gave me the later number first?" she claimed she didn't know. After giving the coffee to my boyfriend who was waiting in the car, I returned in frustration and asked the employee who took the order, "Didn't you intentionally give me my later number first and serve me late?" She replied, "I didn't know; if that is how you felt, there is nothing I can do." When I asked for her name, she proudly stated "Park**." Although I placed the order with that specific employee, the coffee was served by other staff members; I could sense an atmosphere where everyone seemed accustomed to this kind of abusive, bullying service. I felt annoyed the entire time, wondering if it was acceptable to treat customers this way just because business is booming under a celebrity's name and targeting poor working-class people. I thought, "Is waiting outside because they were busy something they should intentionally delay serving to make me suffer? Shouldn't they pay more attention when told they are busy?" I suspect this is the kind of bullying and tyranny typical of large corporations that dictate to customers what to do and treat them poorly if they don't listen. It was a minor issue, but it was an unpleasant incident that ruined what should have been a happy day. I tried submitting a request to the "Voice of the Customer" section on the Paik's Coffee website hundreds of times, but it was just a formality and I couldn't actually submit anything. The "Voice of the Customer" section exists, yet I can't even post anything. I wonder if they just created it as a formality.