Since this month, the number of franchises has increased significantly as Daegu City's "Children's Meal" card system has been completely reorganized, but restaurant owners are not aware of the changed policy and are even sending back hungry children who came to eat. Critics point out that each franchise store should increase its promotional effect by attaching a sticker on the use of the meal card.
A Baekban restaurant in Jukjeon-dong, Dalseo-gu, who visited at around 1 p.m. on the 24th, denied that it was a franchise store when reporters asked about the meal card. The restaurant was a meal card franchise, but the restaurant owner did not seem to know this. The owner of a nearby tteokbokki franchise registered as a franchise store also said, "It is not a children's meal card franchise store," adding, "I have not seen any children who came to use the meal card."
On the 1st, Daegu City replaced the children's meal card with an "IC-type card" linked to Shinhan Card. Until now, Daegu City's children's meal card has been available only at franchises with specific payment terminals in the form of "magnetic cards."
If the meal card is replaced with an IC type, the meal card can be used at any restaurant except bars without registering as a franchise one by one. As a result, the number of meal card franchises has increased significantly from 1,000 to 30,000.
However, contrary to expectations that it would be easier to resolve meals, even the restaurant owner did not know that it was a franchise store that could use a meal card. The owner of a snack bar in Daegu said, "It is a franchise, but I belatedly recognized this fact. There was a time when children came and asked, "Can I use a children's meal card?" and they said no. "I don't know if children think it's a store that doesn't work at all, but I haven't visited it at all since then," he said.
The experience of being rejected for a school meal card leaves a big scar on children. A (43), the father of a child using a school meal card, said, "In the past, children visited a restaurant with a school meal card and were scolded that they could not use the card. "The wound is so big that it is still difficult for children to go to the franchise," he said. "The number of franchises has increased, but if there is no phrase for using a meal card, it will be difficult for me to enter the restaurant."
In addition to the expansion of franchises, there are voices that the unit price of support for meal cards should be increased. The franchise includes various restaurants such as chicken restaurants, but the daily limit of the meal card will be limited to 21,000 won. The unit price of support for children's meals in Daegu is 7,000 won.
Ms. B who uses a school meal card said, "Chicken has to be paid separately after paying with a school meal card. "It is good that the number of franchises has increased, but the unit price of support is still insufficient to eat the food we want to eat," he said. "In the end, we have no choice but to head to snack bars or convenience stores." He said, "I hope you can raise the application unit price."
In response, a Daegu city official said, "Since any restaurant can use it without revealing that it is a meal user, the meal card franchise information sticker does not fit the purpose of the meal business because it gives more brand to children."
Writer: James Ko
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