Disclosed herein is a refrigerator which includes a body, a door configured to open and close a storage compartment and a door opening and closing apparatus. The door opening and closing apparatus includes a pair of intermittent gears configured to transmit the power from a first gear to a second gear of the door opening and closing apparatus and configured to prevent an external force from being transmitted from the second gear to the first gear while the external force is applied to open and close the door. This configuration, among other benefits, improves the durability of a door opening and closing apparatus.