Starbucks has opened its first Signing Store in Vietnam on Cao Thang Street in Ho Chi Minh City, with deaf partners working alongside other employees across store operations and customer service.

The store introduces an inclusive service model that incorporates visual communication, gestures and other forms of non-verbal interaction.

Set back from the main road, the Cao Thang store features a garden-style layout designed to provide a quieter environment for customers. It offers Starbucks’ standard cafe menu alongside an alternative approach to customer engagement.

Deaf partners are involved in the day-to-day operation of the store, giving customers the opportunity to communicate with staff through different forms of interaction.

The Signing Store concept is intended to demonstrate how connection can extend beyond conventional language barriers. Chi Nguyen, director of external affairs at Starbucks Vietnam, told local media that the store was designed as an inclusive space where customers and employees can feel understood and valued, while also fostering community connections.

Starbucks currently operates around 26 Signing Stores across China, Malaysia, Japan and South Korea.