China Daily
23rd June 2023
Inclusive cafe gives hearing impaired great job perks
A cozy but quiet cafe at a hospital in Southwest China's Chongqing has attracted many caffeine junkies since it opened earlier this year.
Regulars are seen writing on digital tablets to order their coffee, and holding up little signs from the counter to tell if they want it hot or cold, with or without sugar.
People who visit the cafe for the first time may wonder why the staff and the method of ordering are a little different — it's because all the staff are hearing impaired.
The modern 120-square-meter coffee shop — Yijiao Coffee — is located in Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area.
The cafe, which translates to Corner Cafe in English, has 10 tables and can accommodate 30 customers. It serves more than 10 types of coffee, including a few classics and some specialties. To express "thank you", the baristas use latte art to draw smiling faces on the crème. The "Silent Americano" is the bestseller, according to Zhu Jiayun, founder of Yijiao Coffee and head of Yuanmeng Public Welfare Service Center for Disabled People, Chongqing's first public welfare organization that helps find employment for people with disabilities.