The short version
Signing up usually works. Where people get stuck is payment and the address. There are effectively three apps and all three support English, so this guide covers which one to pick and what to try, in order, when your card is refused.
Last verified:
Deadlines that matter
First-order discount coupon
By when: Usually a few days after sign up
If you miss it: Not a big deal. You can still order at the normal price.
Right now
- 1All three apps support English. Change the language in settings and the menus appear in English too.
- 2If a foreign card keeps getting declined, work through the payment routes in order rather than switching cards. Step three has the order.
- 3Enter your address in the road-name format and put the building door code in the delivery note. There is a copy and paste line below.
What to have ready
- Korean phone number: Used for verification, order alerts, and for the rider to reach you.
- A payment method: A foreign card, Apple Pay, or WeChat Pay or Alipay+.
- Road-name address and entrance details: Down to the unit number, plus the shared entrance code if there is one.
Phrases you can copy and paste
Step by step
- 1
Pick one of the three apps
Baemin has the most users and therefore the widest choice of restaurants. Its app supports English, Chinese and Japanese, and the language carries through search, checkout and delivery tracking. Coupang Eats is the second largest and offers an English service: change the language in settings and both the categories and each restaurant's menu appear in English. Yogiyo also supports English. The three do not carry the same restaurants, so if there is one place you want, it is worth having two installed to compare. Minimum order and delivery fee can differ between apps for the same restaurant.
- 2
Sign up and get through verification
- Where:
- In the app
Verification is normally done with a Korean phone number. Without one you will often be stopped at this step, so getting a number first ends up being the faster route. The rider contacts you on that number, so use one you can actually answer.
- 3
If payment fails, try these in order
- How long:
- A few minutes
First, register the foreign card directly. Coupang Eats has accepted overseas cards since July 2024. Second, if you use an iPhone, try Apple Pay. Baemin has supported payment with overseas issued credit cards through Apple Pay since 2 June 2026, covering Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex. Third, use a global wallet such as WeChat Pay or Alipay+. Fourth, if none of that works, choose a restaurant that allows paying on delivery. Cards are sometimes declined without an explanation on screen, so a failure does not necessarily mean the card itself is the problem.
- 4
Enter the address and write a delivery note
Use the road-name address. A building name alone is risky because the same name repeats across the city. In the note field, give the shared entrance code and say that you do not speak Korean. That alone cuts down the number of phone calls. The copy and paste lines are below.
- 5
Check the total before you confirm
On top of the food there is a delivery fee, and each restaurant has a minimum order. The fee can rise with distance and with the time of day. It is worth reading the total once on the final screen. After ordering, the app shows whether the food is being cooked or is on the way, and the arrival estimate moves as conditions change.
The Korean words
- 도로명 주소doro-myeong juso, street-name address
- Korea's standard address format. Use this in the app.
- 공동현관gongdong-hyeongwan, shared building entrance
- The rider may need a code to get in.
- 간편결제ganpyeon-gyeolje, quick pay
- Saving a card as a payment method inside the app.
- 배달팁baedal-tip, delivery fee
- Charged on top of the food. Called a tip, but it is not optional.
- 최소주문금액choeso-jumun-geumaek, minimum order
- You have to reach this amount before you can order.
- 요청사항yocheong-sahang, delivery note
- The box for messages to the restaurant and the rider.
Easy to miss
- Sign up goes fine and then a foreign card is quietly refused at checkout. With no reason on screen, the card itself may not be the problem.
- The delivery fee and the minimum order push the total above what you expected, and both can differ by app for the same restaurant.
- The three apps carry different restaurant lists. Missing from one app does not mean a place has no delivery.
- Leaving the note empty invites a phone call. If a Korean call is daunting, ask for a text message in advance.
You can skip this if
- If you are staying in a hotel or guesthouse, asking the front desk can be quicker.
- On a short trip with no plan to get a Korean number, takeaway in person is less trouble than signing up.
When it is time for a person
- If both the app and phone ordering keep failing, this may be the point where help with the wider settling in process is what you actually need.
Where this comes from
- Road Name Address Service, Ministry of the Interior and Safety
- Baemin, a private delivery service (company site)
- Coupang Eats, a private delivery service (company site)
- Yogiyo, a private delivery service (company site)
- Baemin adds Apple Pay with overseas cards (Newdaily report, 31 May 2026)
- Delivery apps in English (inews24 report on multilingual support)
Rules, fees and deadlines change and depend on your exact case. Please confirm the details with the official sources before you act.