Tech entrepreneur Brett Goldstein discovered the restaurant and then posted about it in a now-viral thread on X|@thatguybg|X
Taking remote work to a whole new level, an NYC restaurant has virtual cashiers located 8,500 miles away in the Philippines, who bill its customers via video chat.
The Sansan Ramen restaurant in Long Island has remote cashiers who assist customers through self-service kiosks, with an option to tip them. The company behind these virtual cashiers, Happy Cashier, confirms hiring Filipino employees for the role.
Tech entrepreneur Brett Goldstein, who mentioned the innovation in a now-viral post on X, sees it as the future of fast food due to its potential to cut costs amid rising labor expenses in the US.
The downside
While virtual workers help save costs and add a human touch compared to fully automated systems, some find outsourcing jobs problematic and taking away local employment options.
Previous instances of outsourcing cashiers have faced criticism for low wages. In 2022, a Canadian business employed Nicaragua-based remote cashiers who were reportedly making $3.75 an hour, a fraction of Ontario’s minimum wage of $16.55 per hour, reported the Toronto Star.
Some also see the transition as unsettling as it diminishes the personal connection associated with dining out.
The upside
Proponents of virtual cashier jobs argue that this innovation could benefit struggling economies as the workers could make above the median monthly wage in their country.