The first Starbucks in Vietnam with sign language service has opened in Ho Chi Minh City
On September 8, the first Starbucks Signing Store in Vietnam opened in Ho Chi Minh City — a special café format created with the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing people in mind. The Starbucks Cao Thắng location is situated on Cao Thắng Street and has become a new space for communication between members of the community and other visitors.
The café’s defining feature is its team. Nearly half of the staff at the new location have hearing impairments, and some of the baristas are deaf or hard of hearing. Starbucks has adapted its work processes so that employees can fully interact with visitors, while guests can comfortably place orders without the need for spoken communication.
Orders at the café can be placed using a tablet at the counter. After that, the customer can track the status of their order on a digital screen in the pickup area. For visitors who find this system inconvenient, a simpler option is also available — the name of the drink can be written on paper.
The space itself is also designed with accessibility and comfort in mind. The café is housed in a renovated French colonial home. The interior features natural light, wooden elements, and tactile details. One of the highlights of the space is a work by deaf artist Linh Đan, dedicated to the themes of equality, accessibility, and a sense of belonging to the community.
To mark the opening, Starbucks Vietnam released a special merchandise collection sold exclusively at Starbucks Cao Thắng. The collection’s design is inspired by sign language and symbols of the deaf community. Among the items are cups featuring elements related to the sign language alphabet. Some of them change color when filled with a hot drink.
The project also has a social component. Starbucks Vietnam said that over the next two years, part of the café’s revenue will go toward vocational training programs for people with hearing impairments, implemented jointly with the Youth Social Work Club. The company is also considering opening new Signing Stores in Vietnam.
