NYC ramen restaurant employs virtual cashiers Zooming in from the Philippines
A new restaurant chain in New York City has sparked discussion due to its cashiers working from home from the Philippines.
Key points:
- Sansan Ramen, located in Long Island City, Queens, is outsourcing staff from the Philippines, benefiting from the wage gap between New York City and the Southeast Asian nation, where the minimum wage per day is about 610 pesos ($10.80).
- The employees reportedly call in on Zoom and are tasked with greeting customers and assisting with check-out virtually from their homes in the Philippines.
The details:
- According to Pie, one of the chain’s remote workers who has been on the job for about six months now, she was employed by a company called Happy Cashier. Although she said she enjoyed her job, she did not disclose her salary to a reporter for the New York Post.
- Despite the absence of in-person service, the 33-year-old also revealed that customers are required to add a tip of up to 18% on top of their bill. She noted that some leave generous amounts, which she splits with her manager and kitchen staff.
- The details of this arrangement, including ownership of the restaurants and the workers’ compensation, remain unclear. But the Post noted that the same setup also takes place at Sansan Ramen, Sansan Chicken or Yaso Kitchen locations in Manhattan, Queens and Jersey City.
- Opinions about the approach are divided, with some appreciating the novelty while others feel it lacks human connection. Some customers have expressed concerns about occasional operational issues and how it may take away local job opportunities.
- Tech experts suggest this could represent a cost-cutting measure with potential for further advancements in customer service technology, possibly even using AI avatars in the future.
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