Cafe has 4 waiters on shift but still makes customers fetch their own drinks

We went upstairs, picked a seat and had just started arranging our documents and booting up our laptops when the buzzer went off. That meant I had to pause our conversation, go downstairs and carry two drinks back up to the first floor.

Both of us are women. I was wearing high heels that day. The store was quiet and not crowded. Each drink cost VND55,000 (US$2.1), and four employees were chatting and giggling behind the counter.

Counter service at cafés and milk tea shops has been around for years, and I am not someone who demands much from service. When I am alone, I do not mind picking up my own drink.

But that day’s experience made me wonder — has counter service become an excuse for something else?

People often go to coffee shops to talk with friends or clients, but when the buzzer goes off, their conversation is interrupted. And even if a café uses a counter service model, customers who pick up their drinks should still feel attended to. Staff should be attentive and ready to assist, not indifferent.

That day, I felt awkward carrying a tray of drinks up the stairs in a dress and high heels, yet no one offered to help.

Perhaps the owner would argue that counter service cuts costs. But is it really saving on labor when there are still four employees, not including the barista, behind the counter?

*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.