Restaurants: The Solo Dining Revolution: How Korean Eaters are Finding Joy, Comfort, and Community in a Single Bowl
- InsightTrendsWorld
- Aug 1
- 11 min read
Why It Is Trending: The Rise of the One-Person Household
The "Solo-Economy" Boom: The trend is driven by the rapid growth of single-person households in Korea. This demographic shift is creating a massive market for products and services that cater to the unique needs of solo diners, from single-portion meals to a desire for comfort and entertainment during mealtime.
From Social to Personal Eating: The survey's findings highlight a new cultural norm where eating alone is no longer an anomaly but a common, and often preferred, activity. This is leading to a consumer behavior of seeking out content (videos, music) and comfort items (stuffed animals, pets) to enhance the experience.
Menu Innovation as a Catalyst: Food delivery platforms like Baemin are acting as a catalyst for this trend by launching services like "han-geureut" (one bowl). This innovation addresses a long-standing pain point for solo diners—the difficulty of finding single portions of dishes like fried chicken—and is directly fueling the trend's growth.
Overview: A Plate for One, a Screen for Many A recent survey by Baedal Minjok (Baemin), Korea's top food delivery platform, reveals a significant shift in solo dining habits. Conducted as part of a campaign celebrating its "han-geureut" (one bowl) service for single diners, the survey of 100,000 people found that a staggering 91% of solo eaters watch videos while they eat. The findings highlight a new consumer demand for services that remove the friction of solo dining, such as minimum order requirements, and a desire to combat loneliness with comfort items like pets and stuffed animals. The success of Baemin's "one bowl" service, which saw a doubling in order volume and a 150% increase in menu options, proves that catering to this growing demographic is a key driver for business growth.
Detailed Findings: The Habits of the Solo Eater
Video Consumption is a New Norm: 91% of solo diners watch videos (TV, streaming content) while they eat. This far outpaces other activities like listening to music (5%), looking in the mirror (3.4%), or social media Browse (0.5%).
Coping with Loneliness: The survey explored how solo diners cope with loneliness:
More than half place a stuffed animal nearby.
47.3% dine with a pet.
The "han-geureut" (one bowl) Service Success:
The service was launched in late April to cater to single-person households.
It saw an order volume that nearly doubled after launch.
The number of available menu items in this category increased by 150%.
Most Popular Solo Dining Dishes:
Rice dishes (e.g., Bibimbap) were the most ordered item at 16%.
Fried chicken was a close second at 15%, with its popularity attributed to special menu collaborations that created single portions.
Noodles were the third most popular at 14%.
Removing Barriers to Entry: A Baemin official stated they plan to continue introducing menu options that were previously difficult to order alone due to portion size, composition, or minimum order requirements. This proactive approach is a key part of their growth strategy.
A Campaign of Celebration: The findings were released as part of Baemin's "My Solo Dining Skill" campaign, which celebrated the service's success and its 1 million-user milestone.
Key Success Factors of the Solo Dining Trend: Convenience, Customization, and Connection
Frictionless Experience: The ability to remove key pain points for solo diners, such as minimum order requirements and the difficulty of finding single portions.
Menu Innovation: The development of menu collaborations and special offerings that adapt traditional, multi-person dishes (like fried chicken) for the solo diner.
Providing "Emotional Companionship": A successful strategy goes beyond food to acknowledge the emotional aspects of solo dining, offering comfort and a sense of connection through a brand's messaging.
Content and Commerce Integration: The trend is successful because it is tightly integrated with digital content. Brands that understand that solo diners are also video watchers can leverage this with a complementary strategy.
Data-Driven Insights: The survey itself, with 100,000 respondents, proves the value of data in understanding a growing and underserved consumer base.
Key Takeaway: The Single-Person Household is the Future of Food Delivery The Baemin survey and the success of its "han-geureut" service provide a powerful blueprint for the food delivery industry. It proves that the single-person household is a massive and underserved market. To succeed, brands must move beyond a one-size-fits-all model and innovate with single-portion menu options, frictionless ordering, and a deep understanding of the emotional and entertainment needs of the solo diner.
Main Trend: The "Solo-Economy" Revolution in Food Consumption This main trend describes the profound economic and cultural shift driven by the rise of single-person households, which has created a new consumer behavior centered on solo dining. This trend is characterized by a demand for products and services that are customized for a single user, remove friction from the ordering process, and provide a sense of comfort and entertainment during mealtime.
Description of the Trend: The "Han-geureut" Lifestyle The "Han-geureut" Lifestyle (from the Korean term for "one bowl") is a consumer-led movement in the food industry where dining habits are being redefined around the needs of the single-person household. This trend is characterized by the normalization of eating alone, a preference for single-portion meals of what were traditionally group dishes (e.g., fried chicken), and a reliance on food delivery platforms that have removed minimum order requirements. It is a social shift that also has a strong psychological component, with consumers actively seeking out entertainment (videos) and comfort items (stuffed animals, pets) to enhance their solo dining experience.
Key Characteristics of the Core Trend: Single-Serving and Social
One-Person Portions: A strong demand for meals that are perfectly portioned for one, which has led to menu innovation in this category.
Frictionless Ordering: The removal of minimum order requirements by food delivery platforms is a key characteristic, as it makes ordering more convenient and cost-effective for solo diners.
Media-Integrated Meals: The dining experience is no longer just about food; it is a multi-sensory experience that is integrated with media consumption, with a vast majority of solo diners watching videos.
Comfort and Companionship: Consumers are actively seeking out comfort items, such as stuffed animals or pets, to combat loneliness during meals.
Menu Innovation: Restaurants and food brands are creating new menu options and collaborations that are specifically designed for the solo diner.
Social Identity: The "han-geureut" lifestyle is becoming a form of social identity, with campaigns celebrating the "skill" of solo dining and normalizing the behavior.
Data-Driven Growth: The trend's success is being measured and driven by data, with platforms like Baemin using consumer insights to expand their offerings.
Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend: The Rise of the Digital Tribe
Baemin Survey Results: The survey itself, with its massive number of respondents, is the primary market signal, with its findings on video consumption (91%) and comfort-seeking behavior (50%+ with a stuffed animal).
"han-geureut" Service Success: The service's doubling of order volume and 150% increase in menu items are powerful market signals that this is a lucrative and underserved segment.
Menu Collaborations: The mention of special menu collaborations (e.g., fried chicken with BBQ) is a strong signal that brands are actively innovating to meet the demand for single-portion meals.
Growth of Single-Person Households: The trend is a direct result of a major demographic shift in Korea, where single-person households are a growing consumer base.
Social Media Trends: The viral nature of the "My Solo Dining Skill" campaign and other similar content suggests that this lifestyle is a topic of conversation and social sharing.
Online Entertainment Consumption: The high percentage of solo diners watching videos is a clear signal of the strong role of streaming and online content in modern daily life.
A New Kind of "Family": The fact that solo diners are eating with pets (47.3%) and stuffed animals (50%+) suggests a new, modern definition of companionship.
What Is Consumer Motivation: The Desire for Convenience and Connection
Convenience: The primary motivation is to have a convenient, frictionless meal solution that is perfectly portioned for one and has no minimum order requirements.
Entertainment and Escapism: Consumers are motivated by a desire to integrate their meal with entertainment, using videos as a form of escapism and a way to enhance the dining experience.
Comfort and Belonging: The desire to combat loneliness and feel a sense of comfort and companionship, even if it's with a stuffed animal or a pet.
Personalization and Choice: The ability to order a meal that is tailored to their individual tastes and not a pre-packaged, mass-market option.
Social Norms: The normalization of solo dining through campaigns and social media content removes the stigma and makes it a more enjoyable experience.
Value for Money: The ability to order a single-portion meal without a minimum order requirement provides a better value for a solo diner.
What Is Motivation Beyond the Trend: Fundamental Human Needs
Nourishment: The basic human need for food.
Companionship: The underlying human need for connection and companionship, which is fulfilled through pets, stuffed animals, and the digital world.
Routine and Ritual: The desire to have a predictable and comforting routine, with the "han-geureut" lifestyle providing a ritual that can be relied upon.
Self-Expression: The ability to express one's identity and preferences through their meal and media choices.
Discovery: The intrinsic human curiosity to discover new menu options, content, and restaurants.
Descriptions of Consumers: The Connected Solo Diner
Consumer Summary:
Members of Single-Person Households: They are the core demographic, living alone and seeking products and services that fit their unique lifestyle.
Digitally Savvy: They are fluent in using food delivery platforms and streaming services, and they integrate both into their daily routines.
Comfort Seekers: They actively seek out comfort and companionship, whether it's through a pet, a stuffed animal, or a television show.
Value-Conscious: They are mindful of the costs of food delivery and are drawn to services that remove minimum order requirements.
Open to Innovation: They are receptive to new menu options and collaborations that are specifically designed for their needs.
Socially Conscious: They are part of a broader cultural shift that is normalizing and celebrating solo activities.
Detailed Summary (based on the article and related research):
Who are them: These are individuals who are part of Korea's growing single-person household demographic. They are tech-savvy, pragmatic about their food choices, and are looking for convenience. They may feel a sense of loneliness but are proactive about coping with it through comfort and entertainment. They view a meal as a multi-sensory experience that is integrated with digital content.
What is their age?: The survey was of 100,000 respondents, suggesting a broad demographic. The rise of single-person households and the reliance on food delivery platforms, however, is often driven by Millennials (25-44 years old) and Gen Z (10-24 years old) who are in the early stages of their careers or living independently.
What is their gender?: The article does not specify any gender-based differences, suggesting that the trends and motivations of solo dining are gender-neutral.
What is their income?: The trend is driven by a food delivery platform, so it is accessible to a wide range of incomes. The removal of minimum order requirements, however, makes it particularly appealing to lower- and middle-income consumers who are conscious of their budget.
What is their lifestyle: Their lifestyle is urban, fast-paced, and digitally integrated. They are likely to live alone and rely on food delivery and streaming services for a significant portion of their daily needs. They are active in online communities and are part of a broader cultural shift that is normalizing and celebrating solo activities.
How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior: From Group Meals to Personal Plates
Increased Food Delivery Volume: The trend is leading to a significant increase in the volume of food delivery orders, as single-person households become a key market segment.
Shift in Ordering Habits: The behavior is changing from ordering food for a group to ordering a single-portion meal, which is driving menu innovation in the food industry.
Multi-Sensory Dining: Consumers are now integrating their meal with media consumption, with video-watching becoming a standard part of the solo dining experience.
Proactive Loneliness Coping: The behavior of seeking out comfort items like pets and stuffed animals is a proactive way for consumers to combat loneliness during meals.
The "One-Click" Meal: The removal of minimum order requirements is simplifying the ordering process and making it more convenient for solo diners, leading to a frictionless experience.
Implications of Trend Across the Ecosystem (For Consumers, For Brands and CPGs, For Retailers)
For Consumers: A More Convenient and Comforting Experience
Consumers benefit from more menu options and a frictionless ordering process that is tailored to their needs as a solo diner.
They can eat their favorite foods, even those traditionally for groups, in a single portion.
The trend provides a sense of comfort and community, even when they are eating alone.
For Brands and CPGs: The Mandate for Single-Serving Innovation
Food Delivery Platforms (Baemin): This trend is a clear mandate to continue innovating with services and features that cater to single-person households.
Restaurants: Need to develop new, single-portion menu options for dishes that were previously only offered in large sizes. This requires creative menu design and collaboration with delivery platforms.
CPGs: Brands in the food and beverage industry have an opportunity to create new, single-serving products that are convenient, healthy, and appealing to the solo diner.
For Retailers: Merchandising for a New Demographic
Retailers need to recognize the single-person household as a key demographic and merchandise their products accordingly.
The trend highlights the importance of providing smaller portions of food and other consumer goods.
The rise of solo dining also has implications for retailers that sell comfort items, like stuffed animals and pet products.
Strategic Forecast: The Hyper-Personalized Solo-Economy
AI-Powered Solo Dining Recommendations: Expect AI to play a key role in future food delivery apps, providing hyper-personalized recommendations for solo diners based on their past orders, preferences, and even their emotional state.
Subscription Services for Solo Diners: The development of subscription-based services that deliver a curated selection of single-portion meals on a weekly or monthly basis.
Virtual Dining Companions: The rise of virtual dining companions, where consumers can have a video or AI-powered companion join them for a meal.
Cross-Industry Solo-Living Services: Expect more collaborations between food delivery platforms and other industries, such as entertainment (streaming services) or retail (comfort items), to offer a holistic solo-living experience.
Ghost Kitchens for Solo Diners: The development of ghost kitchens that are specifically designed to produce high-quality, single-portion meals for a delivery-only model.
Areas of Innovation: The Future of the Plate for One
Single-Portion Menu Engineering: Development of new culinary techniques and recipes that are specifically designed to create delicious, high-quality, single-portion meals from traditional, large-format dishes (e.g., fried chicken, curries).
AI-Powered "Solo-Companion" Apps: Creation of apps that use AI to provide a personalized, entertaining, and comforting experience for solo diners, such as a companion that can engage in conversation or a playlist that is tailored to their mood.
Meal Kits for One: Innovation in meal kits that are designed for a single person, with pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, providing a convenient and healthy home-cooked meal solution.
Interactive TV and Dining: Development of interactive TV and streaming content that is specifically designed for solo diners, with on-screen polls, challenges, or other features that create a sense of community.
"Comfort & Convenience" Bundles: Creation of bundles that combine a single-portion meal from a restaurant with a comfort item, such as a plush toy or a scented candle, to offer a complete solo dining experience.
Summary of Trends:
Core Consumer Trend: The "Connected Solo Diner" Consumers from single-person households are embracing solo dining as a new normal, and they are actively seeking products and services that provide convenience, entertainment, and a sense of comfort and companionship during meals.
Core Social Trend: The Rise of the Solo-Economy Society is witnessing a cultural shift where single-person households are becoming a dominant demographic, which is driving a profound economic transformation across industries, particularly in food and beverage.
Core Strategy: Single-Serving and Frictionless Brands are adopting a strategic approach that focuses on menu innovation for single-serving meals and a frictionless ordering process to cater to the growing and underserved market of solo diners.
Core Industry Trend: The "One Bowl" Revolution The food delivery industry is undergoing a revolution, with platforms like Baemin leading the charge with services that remove minimum order requirements and create a new, hyper-personalized, and convenient experience for solo diners.
Core Consumer Motivation: The Desire for Convenience and Comfort Consumers are fundamentally motivated by the desire for a convenient, frictionless, and comforting meal solution that fits their lifestyle as a solo diner, and they are using technology to satisfy that need.
Final Thought: The Art of the Plate for One The Baemin survey on solo dining is more than just data; it is a cultural map of the modern Korean household. It proves that the future of food delivery lies not in the communal feast, but in the intimate "han-geureut" (one bowl). In an era of single-person households, success is found by meeting a consumer's need for a perfectly portioned meal, a comforting companion, and an engaging screen. This trend is a testament to the fact that in the quest for connection, a brand's greatest strength is its ability to make a single plate feel like a full table.
Comments