Office Workers Fight a Daily Battle at Lunchtime... The Struggles of a Part-Time Worker Behind the "2,500-Won Burger" [Job-Related Reporters]

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[The Financial News] Just as I was about to rest for a moment by placing my hand on the counter, I was startled. Heating systems were running throughout the counter to keep the hamburgers warm for customers.
On the 8th, when the temperature had plunged to 5 degrees Celsius amid a late cold snap, I was dispatched as a one-day part-timer at the No Brand Burger COEX Branch for the newspaper's job-experience feature, "Job-Related Reporters."
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The moment I stepped into the kitchen for my shift at No Brand Burger, a wave of heat wrapped around my entire body. The heaters used to warm buns and fries were running nonstop. Right next to them, flames shot up from the patty grill, making it feel as if I were standing in the middle of a sauna. Outside, the weather was cold enough to make me button up my padded jacket, but inside the kitchen, sweat quickly formed on my forehead, as if mocking the heat.
My first assignment was to fry the French fries and pack them into bags. It was a basic task, along with warming buns and patties for burgers. Manager Choi, who served as my mentor at the No Brand Burger COEX Branch that day, said, "Today, we've prepared a full course, starting with packing fries, then warming buns and preparing drinks." He added, "The area is already crowded with office workers, and with a large conference taking place today, it will be extremely busy."
Packing fries was harder than it looked. Wearing only hygiene gloves, I tried to grab fries fresh out of the boiling oil, but they were so hot that my hands kept pulling back. Because the opening of the bag was narrow, the fries often spilled onto the floor. It took several rounds of practice to get it right. Manager Choi said, "Most new part-timers are exhausted and go home after spending their first day just packing fries." He added, "During peak hours, you have to fry and pack fries, cheese sticks, and butter rice cakes all at once."
As I became more comfortable with packing fries, I moved to the grill area for buns and patties. I thought all I had to do was put them in and let the machine do the work. But timing was the key, especially with orders coming in nonstop. If I grilled them too early, the ingredients would get cold. If I was late, the entire burger-making process would fall behind. The hot air from the heaters also posed a burn risk.
As lunchtime peak hours approached, the store turned into a battlefield. Eight employees were strictly divided into roles such as serving, drinks, frying, grilling, preparation, and floor service, but the stream of order receipts seemed to stretch all the way to the floor. After two hours of mechanically packing fries and grilling patties, lunchtime had already passed in a flash. It was hard work, but seeing office workers and even foreign tourists enjoy the burgers I had handled brought a strange sense of pride.
I could also feel the impact of lunchflation, which has recently left office workers with thinner wallets and pushed them toward value burgers. With orders flooding in for the Amazing Burger, other part-timers had to prepare more than 10 of the items at once. A No Brand Burger official explained, "The Amazing Bulgogi Burger, launched recently at 2,500 won, quickly rose to second place in sales." The official added, "As high prices continue, demand for reasonably priced burgers is increasing."
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What stood out most that day was working alongside employees with disabilities. As part of its ESG management, SHINSEGAE FOOD Inc. hires a certain percentage of workers with disabilities and practices mutual growth. Manager Choi said, "We are actively creating an environment where people with severe disabilities can work together with us." He added, "This employee, who handles floor service and dishwashing, has already worked diligently for 10 years with the help of a dedicated manager." He continued, "There are additional costs for hiring and management, but we place meaning on finding work they can do well and helping them become self-reliant."
To fulfill its social responsibility through disability job development and workplace improvements, SHINSEGAE FOOD Inc. employed more than 70 people as of last year, meeting the legally required disability employment rate of 3.1%.
Beyond hiring workers with disabilities, the company was also improving convenience for other employees in light of the demanding work conditions. To protect staff who had to endure kitchen temperatures comparable to a sauna, it carefully provided short breaks in addition to regular rest periods. Manager Choi said, "Because the environment is so hot, we make sure employees cool down for five minutes after every hour of work." He then handed me a cup of coffee.
Although I spent the entire day moving around the store, I regretted not getting to make a hamburger myself. It was impossible to memorize the precise recipes for so many menu items all at once. Still, as a one-day part-timer at No Brand Burger, I was able to make food, serve customers, and feel the value of sweat once again. I promised myself that the next time I visit No Brand Burger, I will say this to the staff: "It must be hot in here. Thank you."
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security@fnnews.com Park Kyung-ho Reporter