With temperatures in Seoul hitting record highs this summer and the Rio Olympics keeping people up late at night, consumers have turned to food delivery services and all-night convenience stores to keep their stomachs full without having to cook at home, data showed Wednesday.

Popular food delivery mobile phone applications such as Baedal Minjok, whose name translates to Delivery Nation in English, saw orders significantly rise at the end of July. 

The number of orders on Baedal Minjok for July rose 67 percent compared to last year, while rival apps Yogiyo and Baedaltong also saw increases of 19 percent and 16 percent in the last week of July compared to the previous week.

A big part of that growth was made up of orders for nighttime snacks. According to Baedal Minjok, one-fifth of all orders were placed between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. at the end of July.

Those opting for a faster, lighter midnight snack also headed to convenience stores for their wide range of snacks. For the two weeks of July, sales at convenience store chain 7-Eleven rose over 10 percent, with sales between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. rising 17.4 percent.

During the late hours, sales of refrigerated foods rose by nearly 50 percent, while foods including lunch boxes and frozen foods rose by 37 percent and 18 percent.

Another newly popular item at convenience stores for the past month was ice to keep drinks cold while watching the Olympics. Sales of ice, sold in bags or by the cup between midnight and 8 a.m., rose by 43 percent at convenience store chain CU in July.

“Convenience store products are affordable, fast and easy, making them perfect for a midnight snack or as snacks to accompany drinks,” a spokesperson for 7-Eleven said. “The hot summer weather and the Olympics are increasing sales more than ever before.”

By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)