24-Hour Burger Joints Draw New Breed of 'Homeless'

[영어도우미]

24-Hour Burger Joints Draw New Breed of 'Homeless'

By Jane Han
Staff Reporter

When fast food chains like McDonald's and Lotteria started rolling out 24 hour restaurants, they probably weren't expecting the homeless to benefit from the around-the-clock business.

With little money and no place to go, wandering men and women are increasingly finding the warm, brightly-lit and spacious eateries as their refuge. Once settled, they order a cup of coffee, fries or dessert ¯ which often cost less than 2,000 won ¯ and stay through the night, sometimes sleeping.

``These people have become pretty problematic for us,'' said Chung Sung-hoon, a spokesman of Lotteria, the country's No. 1 fast food chain, with more than 750 outlets nationwide. ``As much as we're bothered, however, our problem seems to be a reflection of the economy.''

Approximately 3,000 homeless people roam the capital, according to Seoul city estimates, and the number may increase, as more than 35,000 cash-crunched urban residents filed for personal bankruptcy last year.

Various economic indicators point to a gloomier outlook, as Korea's jobless rate rose to 3.3 percent in December last year and is rising, with Asia's fourth-largest economy expected to shrink by at least 2 percent this year.

``Being without a home during the middle of a cold winter night is scary,'' said Woo Hyun-koo, an official of the Homeless Support Center, who added, ``In that sense, 24-hour restaurants are a safe haven for the homeless.''

There are currently about 41 homeless shelters in Seoul, which provide emergency food, shower and laundry facilities, and medical services to the long-term homeless, Woo said.

``Those who frequent fast-food restaurants probably haven't been on the streets for long. They still look decent and can afford a cup of coffee,'' he said, adding that subway stations, which have long been popular among the homeless, are seen as dangerous and dirty by ``the picky folks.''

The same reasons gave birth to the buzzword ``McRefugee,'' which describes the new homeless generation in Japan and China who've been relying on the world's biggest fast food chain, McDonald's, to provide evening shelter.

Although these patrons have the courtesy to make minimum orders, businesses don't appreciate the shady-looking crowd camping out all night.

``We try to manage and control the growing crowd to help protect our brand image,'' said Chung, who stressed that Lotteria's general rule is to ban customers from using the facility as shelter.

McDonald's, which operates 235 outlets nationwide, however, says the wandering bunch hasn't been a ``big issue'' for them.

``We haven't seen a rise in complaints or reports of these people,'' said Kim Ju-young, a McDonald's spokeswoman. ``But even if we did, we wouldn't drive them out as long as they don't disturb other patrons.''

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/02/123_39667.html

 

 

 

VOCABULARY

 

roll out - to introduce; unveil 

refuge - shelter or protection from danger, trouble, etc. 

buzzword - a word or phrase, often sounding authoritative or technical, that is a vogue term in a particular profession, field of study, popular culture, etc. 

camp out - sleep outdoors; also, stay somewhere for an unusually long time

 

 

GUIDE QUESTIONS

 

= What was your reaction when you read the article? Why?

= How do you feel for the homeless Koreans who seek refuge in various 24-hour restaurants there? Do you see a lot of them everytime you go to a fast food chain? 

= What does "McRefugee" mean? What are your thoughts about this term?  

= Why do you think some people end up being homeless? Where do most of them get their evening shelter? 

 = How should chain owners deal with customers who camp out all night at their restaurant? Is it right to drive them out? Why do you say so? 

= Do you consider homelessness as a social problem in Korea? How do you think this issue can be resolved? 

 = Are there homeless shelters where you live? As far as you know, does your government have any housing programs for the homeless?  Share your thoughts.