Group Tourists Use Only Cafe Parking Lot and Restroom Before 'Leaving Without Purchase'… Owner "I Wanted to Stop Doing Business"

In Gangneung, Gangwon Province, it has come to light that a group of tourists arriving on a tour bus used only the parking lot and restroom of a cafe before leaving without purchasing a drink, causing public outrage.

The cafe owner expressed their frustration, stating that they had waited for the group throughout the peak business hours while turning away other customers.

Although parking space for buses was secured… Group customers 'only used the restroom'

On the morning of the 24th, A, who operates a cafe in Gangneung, shared this incident on their social media, lamenting, "It was a moment when humanity really shattered. I lost faith in humanity."

According to A, at around 11 AM that day, a man visited the store and inquired whether two tour buses could park there to buy takeout coffee and visit the beach. When A asked about the expected arrival time, the man responded that they would arrive between 1 PM and 1:30 PM.

In response, A requested understanding from other customers and cleared the parking space for the two tour buses in advance. A said, "Knowing that group customers were coming, even longer-staying customers gave up their seats."

At the promised time, the tour buses arrived, and A personally assisted with parking. However, the passengers stated, "We'll buy drinks after seeing the beach," and left, later returning to the bus without purchasing any coffee. The only facilities they used were the parking lot and restroom.

"Peak Time Wasted"… A Store That Never Closed for 7 Years Had to Suspend Operations for a Day

A expressed anger, stating, "They completely wasted the busiest hours from 11 AM to 2:30 PM. It was a tour bus marked with '○○ University.' How can they cause such trouble while openly displaying the school name?"

He further added, "Especially in times when customers are scarce, I cleared tables for group customers and ended up losing revenue. I was so upset that I wanted to close the store that day."

In fact, A closed the cafe the following day. He said, "In the seven years since I started the business, I had never closed for a single day, but my wife was mentally struggling too much, and I could no longer endure it."

"Functioning as a Rest Stop"… Citizens Continually Criticize

As news of this story spread, netizens expressed their criticism toward the group tourists. One user pointed out, "It's absurd that they made a reservation knowing they wouldn't buy anything," while another expressed their frustration, saying, "It's not a rest stop, it's beyond unreasonable."

Some remarked, "The guide accompanying the students is more of a problem," stating, "Taking actions like this while riding on a bus with the school's name is not a simple mistake. Ultimately, a statement of apology from the school will follow."

There has yet to be an official statement from the university involved, but the incident is rapidly spreading through online communities and parent groups.

Image Source: Thread, Owner's Instagram