New Remote Cashier Company Testing With Small Businesses

In a rapidly changing restaurant industry, small business owners in New York City are seeking relief from rising commercial rents and high inflation.

In response, Happy Cashier, a virtual assistant company, has pioneered a unique model that could potentially transform the industry. The company has created a team of virtual hosts, who are based in the Philippines and projected onto flat-screen monitors via Zoom, to greet customers and explain menus remotely for a number of restaurants in the city. This move has caught the attention of many, and opinions are divided on the potential implications of this new approach.

On one hand, proponents of this model argue that it could help struggling restaurants maximize their limited space and improve efficiency. Chi Zhang, the founder of Happy Cashier, believes that virtual assistants can also coordinate food deliveries, take phone calls, and respond to online reviews, making them a valuable asset to restaurants.

The virtual assistants, who are paid $3 an hour, earn twice as much as similar positions in the Philippines. Additionally, the tipping policy is set by the restaurants, with some giving their virtual greeters a percentage of the pooled total each day.

However, there are concerns about the potential exploitation of workers and the impact on the fast-food industry. Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, a non-profit labor group, is alarmed by the outsourcing of jobs and the pressure it could place on wages. They assert that this may further shrink the already dwindling fast-food workforce and is a cause for concern. Similarly, Jonathan Bowles, the executive director of the Center for an Urban Future, is also wary of the consequences of this model on the industry.

The virtual host model is not entirely new, and some companies, like Freshii, have successfully implemented it in the past. However, it has not been common in the hands-on restaurant business. Despite the concerns, some restaurant managers have praised the service, citing cost and space savings, and the potential to expand their offerings. At Sansan Chicken in Manhattan's East Village, the manager, Rosy Tang, shared her optimism about the model, saying, "This is a way for small businesses to survive."

However, in practice, there have been some quirks with the new model. At Sansan Chicken in Queens, the virtual assistant was unable to help a reporter customize their order on a touchpad menu. The assistant recommended ordering from the in-person staff at Sansan Ramen next door, which shares a kitchen with the chicken restaurant. Similarly, some customers have expressed confusion and skepticism about the virtual assistants, with one saying, "You hear 'hello' and you say, 'What the hell is that?'"

Nonetheless, the model has garnered significant attention. A recent social media post about the virtual assistants went viral, piquing the interest of many. Brett Goldstein, the co-founder of an artificial intelligence company and the author of the post, said that many commenters were intrigued by the idea, while others deemed it dystopian. At Yaso Kitchen in Jersey City, a virtual hostess named Amber, who declined to share her last name, said she has been working in this role for three months and enjoys the work-from-home setup.

The success of the virtual host model remains to be seen, with the company expecting to expand to more than 100 restaurants in the state by the end of the year. The virtual host system has its share of supporters and detractors, and it remains to be seen if this novel approach will be the future of the restaurant industry. For now, virtual hosts continue to welcome diners at select restaurants in New York City, projected onto flat-screen monitors, and their impact on the industry remains to be seen.