Doan, TMooney, SKim, PB2023-10-082023-10-082023-09-23International Journal of Hospitality Management, ISSN: 0278-4319 (Print), Elsevier BV, 115, 103602-103602. doi: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2023.1036020278-4319http://hdl.handle.net/10292/16750This research, using in-depth qualitative interviews, aimed to disentangle the meanings of service interactions perceived by both employees with disabilities (EWDs), and their customers, based on their own experiences. The interviews were conducted with a total of twenty participants including ten EWDs and ten customers from foodservice organizations (e.g., restaurants and cafés) in Vietnam. The findings of the thematic analysis revealed that EWDs perceived service interactions with customers as opportunities to provide services characterized by ‘total attentiveness’, 'impressing customers’, and ‘social connection’, while their customers perceived the interactions as both opportunities for ‘genuine hospitality’, and ‘contributions to social change’. The implications of the findings are important for hospitality researchers and practitioners alike.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/3508 Tourism35 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services3504 Commercial Services3506 Marketing1504 Commercial Services1505 Marketing1506 TourismSport, Leisure & Tourism3504 Commercial services3508 TourismJournal ArticleOpenAccess10.1016/j.ijhm.2023.103602