Self-service kiosks are everywhere in Korea and they are all in Korean?

Korean self-service kiosks at restaurants, cafes, and fast food are increasingly bilingual but a chunk are still Korean-only. The good news: most major chains (McDonald's, Starbucks, Lotteria, Mom's Touch, Burger King, KFC, Subway, Paris Baguette) have an English language toggle at the top right of the screen, usually a flag icon or 한/En button.

For Korean-only kiosks, the universal flow is: pick category (햄버거 = burgers, 음료 = drinks, 사이드 = sides), choose item (photos help), customize size or set menu (단품 = single, 세트 = set/combo), pay (카드 = card, 현금 = cash, 모바일 = mobile pay), then take your receipt with order number. Tap your card on the reader (most work with foreign credit cards but some only accept Korean ones, in which case use Apple/Samsung Pay or cash). For unmanned cafes (무인카페) and ramen shops, the flow is similar but tip: select 매장 (dine-in) vs 포장/테이크아웃 (takeout) at the start since some kiosks default to takeout.

Use Papago or Google Translate's camera mode pointing at the screen for real-time translation, which works well on static menu screens. The Talkbeen app specifically translates Korean kiosk screens. If you're truly stuck, every kiosk has a 직원 호출 (call staff) button or a person nearby who can help. Most younger staff understand basic English food terms (chicken burger, americano, large size). Practice ordering at the same chain a few times to build muscle memory. Ramen shops, samgyetang places, and traditional restaurants often still take orders verbally, so kiosks are mostly a fast-food and chain cafe issue.