Honestly, I couldn’t find similar term in English about a profession that I would like to write. Even after browsing using the magic box of Google and utilize the Google Translator, still, my search for correct term is in vain.
The profession I mean is actually a peddler but people who do this specialize themselves by selling only coffee or soft drinks. They use no carts but a bicycle only. People called it in Indonesian “Warung Kopi Berjalan” or “Mobile Coffee Kiosk”. So, perhaps, the latter will be used in this article. Should you know appropriate term after reading this writing, please do let me know.
Do not think that this is a formal job? Because Starbucks or other coffee shop don’t have similar thing. This is an informal job doing by people who try to earn their living.
Mostly, mobile coffee kiosk can be found in big city, where the competition to get employed is so severe. They crawl streets and move from one place to another looking for groups of people sitting on the roadside or pavement.
That’s why they use bicycle that is not too fast and still allowing its rider to scan an opportunity to sell. Usually, the bicycle has been modified a bit and on the rear side, there is a board where several equipment, such as thermos, bottles of water, plastic glasses and some other things are placed. On the handlebar, hanging various type of sachets of instant drinks.
To order a cup of coffee or other type of instant drinks, a buyer will wave their hand or scream to stop them. After that the buyer need to choose what type of drink he wants. If it’s coffee, then the rider will immediately take a plastic glass and put the instant coffee powder inside.
The water? That’s what the thermos is for. Hot water.
Then, where to drink your coffee? Well, be a backpacker. There is no table or chair for you. The mobile coffee kiosk don’t serve it. You should find it by yourself. Or , you can just sip it while you are walking.
Don’t worry, they don’t charge you like a STARBUCK. Most of the drinks sell fares only between Rp 2.000-3.000 per glass. But, you should not also expect special taste. The coffee or drinks they sell are instant ones.
The appearance of mobile coffee sellers like this has become more and more these days. Probably, this is related to the policy of many cities to clean their streets from peddlers and street vendors. Therefore, many people try to find a solution and being mobile has become popular.