To support the employment (就业) of disabled people in Guangzhou, Starbucks has opened its first "Silent Café" in China where almost half the staff are hearing impaired.
Fourteen out of the thirty staff members have trouble hearing, and so Starbucks has created a café that doesn't require customers to say anything—nor the staff to hear anything. "This might be the quietest Starbucks among the over 3800 shops on the Chinese mainland," says Leo Tsoi, Chief Operating Officer of Starbucks, China.
The newly opened "Silent Café" has a special ordering system where all food and drinks are numbered, letting customers easily write down their order and allowing them to place orders without having to say a word.
Chen Siting, a staff member shares her thoughts about the idea. "We cannot hear you but would like to share a tasty coffee with you," says Siting. "I believe more people like me could find a career they dream about in the future," she continues.
Like Siting, Zhu Jieying, has been working at Starbucks for about seven years, making him its first hearing-impaired coffee master. He has hopes that Starbucks could open more opportunities (机遇) for those who are disabled, and encourage them to prove themselves and to explore more possibilities in life.
Title; Starbucks "Silent Café"
| Basic information | The first one in China was in Guangzhou. Almost half its staff have hearing . Its customers place their order without having to say anything by writing down certain . |
| Staff members' thoughts | Chen Siting: More hearing-impaired people like me could find their career in the future. Zhu Jieying: Starbucks could disabled people with more opportunities. |
