This NYC shop cashier works remotely from Philippines via Zoom
Sansan Chicken, a fried chicken shop in New York City, has adopted an unconventional staffing approach. The eatery has hired a cashier from the Philippines who performs her duties remotely via Zoom. This unique employment arrangement was brought to light by Brett Goldstein, who shared an image of the virtual cashier on X and described the situation as "insane." It "only takes a short hop to imagine the near future where this is an AI avatar," Goldstein said.
Hybrid model for taking orders
Located in the bustling East Village near New York University, Sansan Chicken has implemented a hybrid model for order taking. Customers have the option to use an in-store touchscreen kiosk, akin to those found at fast-food chains like McDonald's. Alternatively, they can choose to interact with the remote cashier via Zoom on an iPad that displays "Welcome to my store" message.
Customer experience with the virtual cashier
NYU student Alex Tey has shared her unique experience at Sansan Chicken with 404 Media. She found it unusual to order food through a screen rather than from an in-person cashier. During her visit, both ordering options were available, but she was directed toward the virtual one. When the remote cashier takes a break, her background changes to "The cashier will be back :)" on the iPad screen.
Remote cashiering: A cost-effective solution
The manager of Sansan Chicken explained that this innovative approach helps manage costs. She highlighted that wages in New York City are high, and hiring another on-site worker would pose a financial challenge. The remote cashiers are sourced from a company based in the Philippines. They operate on a 12-hour time difference from New York, with shifts typically changing around 3:00pm local time.
