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Unstaffed Stores Using Robots Reach About 9,000 Across South Korea
Owners adopt self-service models with robotic arms to cut labor costs as the population shrinks. The number of such outlets reached about 9,000 by the end of 2024.
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Unstaffed coffee shops, ramen eateries and flower outlets are spreading across South Korea as owners turn to robots and self-service systems amid rising labor costs and a shrinking pool of young workers. Such stores, usually open 24 hours, numbered approximately 9,000 nationwide by the end of 2024, according to the National Fire Agency.
Payments provider Samsung Card said the total grew four times between 2020 and 2025.
South Korea’s population of 51.8 million is projected to fall to 36.2 million by 2072. Kim Dongjin, chief executive of Lounge X, said the population of baristas in their early twenties is drastically declining. Lounge X operates eight entirely unstaffed 24-hour coffee shops across South Korea, most in Seoul.
A robot arm named “Baris” serves Americanos and matcha lattes from on-site kiosks. The company employs human staff to prepare drinks in four additional shops. Owners cite difficulties finding staff and rising wages as reasons for the model.
Rates of petty crime remain low, and customers are generally rule-abiding, the reporting noted. A robot arm prepares coffee at a cafe in Seoul.
