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Netherlands: Ordering coffee in sign language

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Anneke Wardenbach
August 6, 2026

At a café in Arnhem, customers order their coffee using sign language. The inclusive concept creates jobs, teaches guests new skills and helps break down barriers.

Jannice Ong Afat works as a deaf barista in the employee cafeteria of the grid operator Tennet in Arnhem, the Netherlands. Customers order their coffee using sign language, with instructions displayed on screens. For the 24-year-old, this is her first full-time job. The concept makes communication easier and promotes workplace inclusion. More than 50 cafés like this already operate across the Netherlands. They create employment opportunities for people with disabilities while helping coworkers and customers recognize and appreciate the diversity of talent.

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