If you've been stopped by a tablet outside a popular restaurant asking for a Korean phone number, there are ways to get in line without one. This guide is built around the most practical app, and covers what each app can and can't do and what to try when you get stuck.
As of October 2026 — how each restaurant handles waiting changes often. Check the restaurant's page in the app before you go.
The most practical app for foreign visitors is the Catchtable Global app (캐치테이블 글로벌). You sign up with a Google or Apple account, search for restaurants in English, and then reserve a table or join the line. The Naver Map app (네이버 지도) also lets you book, but few restaurants take reservations there, so treat it as a backup.
| App | Sign up without a Korean no.? | Language | Pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catchtable Global app | Yes | 20 languages | Best |
| Naver Map app | Yes (passport verification) | English | Backup |
| Tabling app (테이블링) | No (needs one) | Korean | Skip |
| Door tablet | Varies | Korean | Ask staff |
Popular restaurants don't have staff handing out numbers. They use a tablet at the door or an app to take your place in line, then call you by text message or app notification when it's your turn. That's why they need a number to reach you.
The Korea Tourism Organization also says that most of these reservation and waiting systems either require a Korean phone number or don't accept foreign cards. A May 2026 JoongAng Daily report pointed out the same thing about kiosk queues at restaurants and cafés that ask you to register a Korean number. There are also traveler posts about being turned away at several restaurants because they had no number.
If there are hardly any people outside a restaurant but the screen says dozens of parties are waiting, the line is inside the app. Everyone is waiting nearby and walks in when they get a notification.
The Catchtable app comes in two versions: the Korean version that Koreans use, and the Global version for foreigners. The names and icons look alike, so it's easy to mix them up.
| Item | Korean version | Global version |
|---|---|---|
| App name | Catchtable (캐치테이블) | CATCHTABLE: Book Restaurants |
| Sign-up | Korean phone verification | Google, Apple or email |
| Payment | Korean cards | Foreign cards accepted |
| Language | Korean | 20 languages, including English |
| Restaurants | All | Some may be missing |
Even if the Korean version is already on your phone, it has no setting to switch to English. Download the Global version separately from the app store. The accounts of the two apps are not linked.
The Global version lets you sign up with a Google or Apple account or an email address. You don't need a Korean number to sign up. You can receive reservation confirmations by email and in-app notifications. You can see your reservations and waitlists in one place in the app's My Dining tab, and when the app first asks, turn notifications on. A restaurant that appears in the Korean version may not show up in the Global version. If that happens, check the Naver Map app or the tablet at the restaurant.
The app has many restaurants, and each one has reviews and ratings, which makes choosing in English easy. Many Koreans use the app too, so there are plenty of local reviews. Restaurants come in two types. At a reservation restaurant, you pay a deposit and lock in a table. At a restaurant that doesn't take reservations and only has a waitlist (line), you take a place in line through the app.
The method differs from restaurant to restaurant. The buttons on the restaurant's page show you which one it uses. There are three main ones.
| Method | How it works | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Remote waitlist Join Remote Waitlist | You join the line from the app while seeing how many parties are waiting right now. You get a notification when your turn comes | Usually no deposit. You need to wait near the restaurant |
| Booking + deposit Reserve | You choose a date and time and pay a deposit in advance to confirm your table | Pay with a foreign card. A phone number is required before you pay |
| Phone booking Reserve by phone | The app only shows the restaurant's phone number. You call the restaurant to book | The call has to be in Korean. You can ask your accommodation staff to help |
With the booking + deposit method, a phone number field comes up while you enter your booking details. It's required, so you can't leave it empty. Pick a country code and enter your number. The screen says, "If you have a Korean phone number, please use it. The restaurant may need to contact you." So if you've bought a Korean SIM, use that number; if not, use your number from home. You have to finish the booking within the 10 minutes shown on the screen, and it's only complete once the payment goes through.
A Busan example. In a June 2026 review of the Busan Station branch of Ijaemo Pizza, the writer joined the remote waitlist as party number 34 around 4 p.m. on a weekend and got in within 30 minutes. They say that when you reach about the 20th spot, the app asks you to confirm your arrival, so wait nearby rather than going far.
When you open a restaurant's page, you can see the booking method right away. Some restaurants let you choose a date and time to reserve, and if there's a wait you can join the line. If there's no wait, the number of waiting parties shows 0. In that case, just go.
The Naver Map app (네이버 지도) is the map app Koreans use to find directions and look up places. Restaurant pages have a booking function built in, so if a restaurant takes reservations there, you can book through the app.
There are a few reasons it's hard for foreigners to use, though.
Identity verification used to need a Korean mobile number, but from June 4, 2026 Naver introduced passport verification for foreigners. Passport verification is Naver's way of confirming who you are. The steps are:
Naver says it will extend the supported services and languages step by step. The app supports English, but the booking and verification screens may show some Korean.
The Naver Map app is useful for directions and checking where a restaurant is. For reservations and waitlists, search in the Catchtable Global app first, and only check for a Reserve button in the Naver Map app if the restaurant isn't there.
The Tabling app is a queuing app that Koreans use. There's no version for foreigners, and even if you set your phone to English before installing, every screen is in Korean. It requires a Korean number and carrier verification to sign up, so there's no reason for a foreigner to install it.
At restaurants that use Tabling, you join the line on the tablet at the door. You don't need to install the app. Use the methods in section 6 below.
| Situation | Sentence to show the staff (Korean) |
|---|---|
| Asking them to register you in the line | 한국 전화번호가 없는데, 대기 등록을 도와주실 수 있나요? Hanguk jeonhwabeonhoga eopneunde, daegi deungnogeul dowajusil su innayo? "I don't have a Korean phone number. Could you help me register in the line?" |
| Asking them to book by phone | 이 식당에 전화해서 예약해 주실 수 있나요? I sikdange jeonhwahaeseo yeyakae jusil su innayo? "Could you call this restaurant and make a reservation for me?" |
| Asking how many parties are ahead | 지금 몇 팀 기다리고 있어요? Jigeum myeot tim gidarigo isseoyo? "How many parties are waiting now?" |
| Asking to wait without the app | 앱 없이 가게 앞에서 기다려도 될까요? Aep eopsi gage apeseo gidaryeodo doelkkayo? "Can I wait in front of the restaurant without the app?" |
| Situation | What to use |
|---|---|
| Omakase or fine dining | Reserve in the Catchtable Global app. You pay the deposit with a foreign card |
| A famous restaurant with a long line | Join the remote waitlist and look around nearby |
| The app only shows "Reserve by phone" | Ask your accommodation staff to call, or show them the sentence in section 6 |
| A restaurant not in the Catchtable app | In the Naver Map app, check whether its page has a Reserve button |
| A restaurant that only uses the Tabling app | Use the tablet at the door, and ask the staff if it doesn't work |
If I don't have a Korean number, can I not get in line?
You can with the Catchtable Global app. The Naver Map app also lets you book once you verify with your passport, but few restaurants take bookings there. Naver's join-the-line button takes you to another company's screen, such as Tabling. At restaurants that only use the Tabling app, you need the tablet or help from the staff.
Do I get the deposit back?
Many restaurants deduct it from your bill when you visit. Cancellation rules differ by restaurant, so check on the payment screen.
What if there's no line at the restaurant?
The restaurant's page in the Catchtable app shows the number of waiting parties as 0. In that case, just go.
What if nothing works?
Ask your accommodation staff to call for you. The Korea Tourism Organization's travel helpline 1330 (+82-2-1330) gives advice in 8 languages, including English, Japanese and Chinese.
| Topic | One thing to remember |
|---|---|
| First app to install | The Catchtable Global app (it is a different app from the Korean version) |
| Naver Map app | You can use it after passport verification, but few restaurants take bookings |
| Tabling app | Korean only, so there is no need to install it. Use the tablet at the door |
| When stuck | Try a foreign number, then show the staff a sentence |
If you're curious about maps and payment, also read our Naver Map guide and our foreign card payment guide.