You see them walking around Akihabara. Cute girls wearing big frilly Goth-Loli dresses or maid costumes. They hand out flyers along Chuo Street along Akihabara's "Electric Town" with a smile saying, "Onegaishimasu" (please). These are not full sized Victorian dolls, but rather the hard working ladies behind the maid cafe.
The concept of the maid cafe started in 2001. The first owners of the maid cafes found a niche market with the weary anime and manga fans that had no place to call their own. The girls at the various cafes provide companionship, a lively chat, or maybe a place to play some cards with the socially impaired men who walk around the vast streets and side streets of Akihabara.
The most popular is the cafe @Home. This cafe is always busy, even on weekdays. When arriving to @Home on the weekends, long waits are expected. As the customer gets seated, one of the brown and pink maids will seat you. One of the maids, Nicole, is happy to explain the menu to you. The English speaking maid is normally on duty from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm. Customers can play a game or have their photo taken for an additional charge of 500 Yen ($5). When the food comes, the maid plays a game with them called "Moe, Moe, Moe." Moe means to love something deeply, usually an inanimate object. After the patron is done eating, the maids gives them a point card. The cards are determined by the customer's level of "Otaku-ness." The cards range from the following levels: Bronze (Lv. 1 My Master), Silver (Familiar Master), Gold (Eminent Master), Crystal (Glorious Master), Platinum (The Paragon of Master Excellence), and Black ("The Legend").
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