Ordering a Starbucks at a location near Gallaudet (D.C. area), will now be possible using American Sign Language. Starbucks intends to hire 20 to 25 Deaf or hard of hearing employees in order to allow patrons to order their lattes using just their hands. This joins a number of other restaurants around the world, like Ziryab hookah bar in Barcelona, that for once gives Deaf people an advantage in the hiring process.
Starbucks believes that this will give customers a unique coffee ordering experience as well as offer employment to those whose primary language is sign language. No need for interpreters here.
This actually isn’t the first Starbucks to adopt this theme. There is also one is Malaysia. Employees will wear pins and aprons indicating that they sign. The aprons were also made by the Deaf and the store will have Deaf-inspired artwork that will only be available at that store.
Presumably there will be less misspellings of names since instead of them being pronounced, they will be finger spelled. No more coffees for “Jasmine” when my name is actually Jasper…yay!
