Cafe Amazon, Thailand's largest coffee chain, spread across Southeast Asia with its jungle-and-greenery décor. It had expanded into Vietnam too, but amid fierce competition from local brands, it closed all outlets and withdrew from the Vietnamese market in November 2025. You can't drink it in Vietnam now, but it's still actively expanding in Thailand and other neighboring countries.
| Genre | Coffee |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2002 (rollout began by PTT of Thailand) |
| Origin | Thailand |
| Former coverage area | Ho Chi Minh City |
| Number of locations | 0 outlets (withdrew in 2025) |
| Signature menu | Amazon Special and Coconut Coffee are the signatures |
| Official site | https://www.cafe-amazon.com/ |
What is Cafe Amazon? Thailand's largest coffee chain, now withdrawn from Vietnam
The founding story
Cafe Amazon is Southeast Asia's largest coffee chain, run by an arm of Thailand's state oil company PTT. With several thousand outlets in Thailand and a presence in more than a dozen countries, it's a giant brand. Built on a “grab a cup while you fuel up” style at gas stations, it's deeply rooted in daily life in Thailand.
It entered Vietnam in 2018, operating around 12 outlets at its peak, centered on Ho Chi Minh City and including Can Tho. But it struggled to differentiate in a fiercely contested market crowded with strong local and international brands—Highlands Coffee, The Coffee House, Phuc Long, Katinat, Trung Nguyên Legend, and Starbucks. Its operating joint venture was dissolved, and in November 2025 it closed all outlets in Vietnam and withdrew. It has become a case study in the difficulty of adapting Thai brands to Vietnam.
Why it struggled in Vietnam
Cafe Amazon's original strength lies in its unique location model of attaching to gas stations. In Thailand it grew explosively by capturing the break-time demand of refueling customers. But in Vietnam's urban areas, this “while-you-fuel-up” model didn't fit consumers' movement patterns, and it couldn't fully leverage its locational strength.
On top of that, Vietnam's café market is one of the most fiercely contested in the world. Vietnamese-style coffee with condensed milk is deeply entrenched, and brands compete with clearly defined identities—retro styles like Cộng, tea-focused shops like Phuc Long, specialty roasters, and more. Within that, Cafe Amazon couldn't fully establish a distinct identity, leading to its withdrawal after five years.
Cafe Amazon's signature menu and flavors
Because it has already withdrawn from Vietnam you can't drink it there now, but in markets like Thailand you can still enjoy the following signature drinks.
Amazon Special
Cafe Amazon's signature coffee. A rich, Thai-style brew using dark-roasted beans, served mainly iced to suit Southeast Asia's hot climate. You can no longer drink it in Vietnam, but it's still beloved as a staple at Thai outlets.
Coconut Coffee
A Southeast Asian–style cup combining the sweetness of coconut with coffee. A sweet, cold drink perfect for the hot climate, popular alongside frappe-type cold items. This too can be enjoyed in Thailand and other markets.
Other popular drinks
| Drink | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Frappe | A cold series combining ice and coffee. Suited to Southeast Asia's hot climate |
| Amazon Special (iced) | A rich iced coffee made with dark-roasted beans. The signature item |
| Coconut coffee | A Southeast Asian–style cup with the sweetness of coconut |
Cups that win over reviewers
We have rounded up the well-reviewed items that come up again and again in travel and food-site reviews (focusing on dishes praised across multiple reviews).
| Menu | Why reviewers rate it |
|---|---|
| Thai Milk Tea | Often cited until the withdrawal as a cup to enjoy for its sweetness and milky richness, fitting for a Thai chain. It appeared in reviews as a menu item for sampling a Thai-style flavor |
Cafe Amazon's locations and tips for stopping by
Scale and coverage area
At its peak in Vietnam, it operated around 12 outlets centered on Ho Chi Minh City, including Can Tho. Many were the gas-station-attached type, but these didn't fit urban consumers' movement patterns, and in November 2025 it closed all outlets and withdrew from the Vietnamese market.
After withdrawing, it continues to operate in Thailand as well as Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, China, and elsewhere. The operator has dropped Vietnam from its growth plans and shifted its focus to expanding overseas franchises.
Cafe Amazon's price guide and payment
Since it has withdrawn from Vietnam, you can't buy it there now. For reference, prices in Thailand are affordable—around 35–50 baht (about 140–210 yen) for the Amazon Special and 65–85 baht (about 260–350 yen) for frappe-type drinks.
Prices can change by store and season. Check the latest at the counter or on the official menu.
Cafe Amazon: map, access, and ordering tips
Vietnamese phrases for ordering
Here are the basic phrases that come in handy locally. Pointing works, but adding a word makes ordering smoother.
| Vietnamese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cho tôi một … | One [drink], please |
| nóng / đá | Hot / iced |
| ít đường | Less sweet |
| không đường | No sugar |
| ít đá | Less ice |
| mang đi | Takeout |
| ở đây | For here |
| tính tiền | The check, please |
You can check the latest menu, prices, hours, and store listOfficial sitehere.
What to know before visiting Cafe Amazon
How to enjoy it smartly
Since you can no longer experience Cafe Amazon in Vietnam, if you want to try the taste, the surest way is to stop by in markets where it operates, such as Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and China. In Thailand especially, you'll spot it everywhere—at gas stations, malls, and more.
If you want a similar coffee experience on a Vietnam trip, we recommend touring chains rooted locally, such as Highlands Coffee, The Coffee House, and Cộng Cà Phê. Cafe Amazon's withdrawal is worth remembering as an event that speaks to how fiercely competitive Vietnam's café market is.
Points to note
All information on Vietnam outlets, menus, and prices is as of the time of withdrawal and is no longer available. The state of expansion elsewhere may change, so when visiting in Thailand or other countries, check the official site or local information.
Vietnam's café market is competitive enough that foreign brands withdraw, while distinctive homegrown chains keep emerging one after another. Knowing the background of the withdrawal makes the depth of Vietnam's café culture more visible.
📖 For the history, background, and ways to enjoy Cafe Amazon, see our feature column “More about Cafe Amazon.”
🗺️ If you also want to compare it with other cafés,Vietnam's 30 Popular Cafés: A Thorough Comparison Guidelets you browse from a single list.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you still go to Cafe Amazon in Vietnam?
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It closed all outlets in November 2025 and has withdrawn from the Vietnamese market. It is no longer available in Vietnam.
- What was the reason for the withdrawal?
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It struggled to differentiate in a fiercely contested market crowded with strong local and international brands like Highlands, The Coffee House, and Phuc Long, and the gas-station-attached model didn't fit Vietnam's urban areas.
- What brand is it?
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Southeast Asia's largest coffee chain, run by an arm of Thailand's state oil company PTT. It has several thousand outlets in Thailand.
- What were the signature menu items?
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The Amazon Special made with dark-roasted beans, and Coconut Coffee with the sweetness of coconut. Frappe-type cold drinks were also popular.
- Where can you experience it now?
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You can enjoy it in markets where it operates, such as Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and China. You can't drink it in Vietnam.
