Have you ever heard of the term gisa sikdang (기사식당) or a "driver's restaurant"? 

These types of restaurants are known for having affordable, convenient, and nutritious food, making them a popular choice when eating out. 

Do you know the origins of the gisa sikdang? 

Let's explore this interesting piece of Korean history and find out more!

The Origins Of The Gisa Sikdang In Korea

Before the economic boom and modern technology, how would people find good places to eat? 

By word of mouth. 

And the best people to ask for restaurant recommendations at this time were taxi drivers.

Because taxi drivers drove all over the city and had contact with many people, they became the ones people looked to for restaurant recommendations.

In the 80s, cities in Korea were a lot less densely populated and land was cheaper, which meant restaurants had ample parking for vehicles.

Restaurants would open near main taxi routes such as at the beginning or end of a bus line.

This would be the beginning of the gisa sikdang.

Characteristics Of A Gisa Sikdang

Although there weren't any formal qualifications to be a gisa sikdang, the most common things people expected from these places were sufficient parking, affordable prices, fast service, extended business hours, and single person servings of delicious food.

Since patrons were mainly taxi drivers, you would not see a lot of drinking at these restaurants.

If you were to ask a taxi driver where the best place to eat was, the answer would vary based on drivers' preferences, but any recommendation was bound to be good.

Source: Insight

Due to the irregular working hours of taxi drivers, restaurants catering to them would open earlier and close later than other restaurants, sometimes even staying open 24 hours a day.

Drivers would often be in a hurry to eat, so quick service was a vital aspect of these eateries. 

If the food and service weren't good, the cab drivers would not go back, and word would spread quickly.  

Gisa Sikdang Food

Source: Siksin

Since taxi drivers would eat alone most of the time, meals were portioned for one person, rather than two or more as is common in many Korean restaurants.

Common menu options included pork belly, fried pork cutlet, spicy fried squid, and bibimbap.

The most popular item quickly became dwaeji bulbaek (돼지불백), or marinated grilled pork.

This dish was served with lettuce leaf wraps and various toppings and condiments such as garlic, kimchi, peppers, and hot pepper paste.

Because of the extreme popularity of dwaeji bulbaek, some gisa sikdangs even came to be considered gourmet.

There were also some restaurants that used a buffet system and calculated price based on the number of people.

How The Gisa Sikdang Has Changed

The gisa sikdang is considered uniquely Korean, serving Korean dishes.

Most dishes were meat and rice based rather than soup based since drivers would not have many opportunities for bathroom breaks throughout the day.

In the past, gisa sikdangs even offered special services for taxi drivers such as car washes, driving gloves, medicine for stomach issues due to their abnormal eating schedules, and coin-op coffee. 

Unfortunately, due to the rising cost of rent over time, many gisa sikdangs have gone out of business. 

In places like Hapjeong where there were once many, they are now scarce, though if you look closely, you can find a few that are still operating like they used to. 

The Gisa Sikdang Today

In Yeonnam-dong near Hongdae, there is Gamnamujib Gisa Sikdang (감나무집기사식당), one of the most famous gisa sikdangs in Seoul.

It rose to fame after appearing on the TV show Infinite Challenge (무한도전), so if you decide to go at a regular meal time, be prepared for a bit of a wait.

These days, gisa sikdangs are no longer primarily frequented by cab drivers.

Because of their affordability and convenience, many working professionals will stop in for a quick and delicious meal.

With the development and improvement of public transit and the continuously rising cost of living, it may become harder to find these types of restaurants as demand for them has dwindled.

This has been just a brief summary of the history of the gisa sikdang in Korea.

We hope you learned something new today!

If you have a chance, be sure to stop by a gisa sikdang for a tasty and affordable meal.