Introduction:A coffee shop in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, named Mina, has sparked a public outcry over its controversial “one-way mirror” concept that allows male customers to observe female customers. The establishment has not only been accused of objectifying women but has also faced allegations of operating without a license and violating fire safety regulations. This article delves into the full story of the incident, explores why the coffee shop’s business model has provoked controversy, and reveals the various violations uncovered by police investigations.
In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a shop called “Mina Coffee” has become the center of attention due to its unique “one-way matchmaking” concept. The café allows male customers to secretly observe female customers in a white-themed area through a one-way mirror, without the women’s knowledge. This business practice has been compared to certain types of cafes in Japan’s past, but because it treats women as “display objects,” it has caused an uproar on social media.
Male customers entering the shop are seated in a predominantly black-themed room, where they can clearly see the actions and behaviors of female customers in the opposite white coffee area through a one-way mirror on the wall. If a man shows interest in a particular woman, he may engage with her for up to five minutes before deciding whether to move on to a private dating room within the café for further conversation. However, throughout this process, the women have no way of seeing the men on the other side and can only learn about them through a pre-filled personal information form.
This setup, described by some netizens as “window-shopping for people,” places women in the position of being observed without their consent, drawing widespread criticism. Many argue that the arrangement not only disrespects women’s privacy but also objectifies them. Furthermore, the café’s pricing structure is seen as highly unfair: male customers must pay to enter the observation room, with additional charges for food and drinks, while the women being observed are allowed to enjoy beverages for free.
Beyond its main matchmaking service, Mina Coffee has also been reported to offer so-called “accompanied tours,” which are essentially paid outings where male customers are accompanied by female staff — a practice that may involve opaque transactions. These practices have raised concerns among many consumers that the café environment could pose potential threats to women. In fact, there have been previous incidents where male customers were caught secretly taking photos of the women behind the glass.
In response to the strong backlash, the shop owner explained that the concept was designed to give men more control in the matchmaking process and that women have the right to refuse any interaction. However, judging from the content of the café’s advertisements on social media platforms, the promotions focused almost entirely on attracting female customers for check-ins and chats, with no mention of the actual matchmaking services. On domestic social platforms, the marketing was primarily targeted at men. Due to the escalating controversy, the shop owner shut down all social media accounts on June 1, and the related pages are now no longer searchable.
Although the owner claims that the café will remain open and plans to keep the one-way mirror in place until the end of July before replacing it with regular glass, and even considers introducing matchmaking services for the LGBT community, whether the shop can continue operating remains uncertain.
On June 3, local police in Vietnam conducted a surprise inspection of the café. Although no direct evidence of harm to women was found, the investigation uncovered multiple serious violations, including failure to sign formal labor contracts with employees, lack of a food hygiene permit, and non-compliance with fire safety standards. The relevant authorities are currently addressing these violations.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
