New York's Sansan Chicken connects diners with cashiers in the Philippines

Innovative setup connect customers to cashiers across the globe, blending technology with personal interaction to reshape fast food service


At a glance

  • Sansan Chicken is a small fried chicken shop located in New York City that uses a unique ordering system with cashiers operating remotely via Zoom from the Philippines.

  • The shop employs technology to connect customers with remote cashiers, replacing traditional on-site cashiers with digital screens that display the cashier's live face.

  • This setup not only incorporates technological innovation but also creates an opportunity for cultural exchange and personal storytelling, making each customer interaction unique and personal despite the physical distance.

  • The concept is sparking discussions about the future of employment in the fast-food industry, particularly around the potential for automation and the role of human workers in an increasingly digital landscape.

  • Despite the technological interface, Sansan Chicken emphasizes maintaining human warmth and personal touch in customer service, challenging the notion that technology creates impersonal barriers.


In the heart of New York City, a small fried chicken shop called Sansan Chicken is revolutionizing the way customers order food. This shop employs a unique system that allows customers to interact with a cashier on Zoom, who is actually based in the Philippines. This innovative approach is not just about technology, it's about the global connections we can foster and the personal stories that can be shared through these connections.

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Meet the face that's changing fast food from 8,000 miles away! At Sansan Chicken in NYC, your orders are taken by this smiling cashier from the Philippines—via Zoom. How cool is that? This photo was posted by Brett Goldstein (@thatguybg) on X and has almost 19 million views.

This innovative approach to staffing has sparked conversation about the future of the fast-food industry, with some imagining a world where artificial intelligence (AI) avatars replace cashiers altogether. While Sansan Chicken's system currently relies on human cashiers working remotely, the concept raises questions about the potential impact of automation on the job market.

The idea behind Sansan Chicken's remote cashier system is simple: leverage technology to streamline operations and potentially reduce costs. By employing cashiers who work remotely via video conferencing software like Zoom, the shop eliminates the need for on-site cashiers, potentially freeing up floor space and reducing payroll expenses.

The new system at Sansan Chicken replaces the traditional cashier counter with a computer monitor. Customers are no longer greeted by a person in front of them, but by a smiling face on a screen. This change has sparked curiosity and surprise. Despite the physical distance, the remote cashiers are dedicated to bringing warmth and a personal touch to every transaction, challenging the notion that technology creates an impersonal barrier.

A digital screen at Sansan Chicken has replaced the familiar cashier's counter and features a welcoming face from another continent. Customers placing their orders might expect to see someone from their own city behind the screen, but instead, they meet someone who logs in from her home in the Philippines. This setup not only offers a chance to work remotely but also brings a unique international perspective to what seems like an ordinary food order.


Sansan Chicken's remote cashier system highlights technological innovation and prompts a broader discussion about the social implications of such changes in the workplace. It raises questions about the future of employment in the service industry and the role of human interaction in an increasingly digital world.

The story of Sansan Chicken and its remote cashiers is a microcosm of a larger trend. As businesses across industries embrace new technologies, the human aspect remains vital. The challenge lies in maintaining a balance between efficiency and empathy, ensuring that as the world progresses, it preserves the human connections that provide comfort and familiarity.

This move by Sansan Chicken is more than just a technological experiment; it's a glimpse into a possible future of the service industry in which human roles are reimagined rather than replaced, and technology enhances rather than diminishes the human experience.