Outsourcing founder explains why a Manhattan restaurant uses a staffing firm in the Philippines that pays cashiers a few dollars an hour: 'The cost is admittedly cheaper than the U.S.'.

The article focuses on the innovative approach taken by local New York City restaurants to address labor costs by utilizing remote cashiers from the Philippines through a service called Happy Cashier. This New York-based company, founded by Chi Zhang, provides virtual cashier services to help alleviate the workload of in-person staff while offering competitive wages to its Filipino workers, reportedly paying them 150% more than the average cashier salary in the Philippines. Happy Cashier has been implemented in several restaurants, including Sansan Chicken and Sansan Ramen, and aims to enhance operational efficiency without eliminating in-person jobs. The practice reflects a broader trend of outsourcing labor in the restaurant industry, raising discussions about labor standards and cost-saving measures. [Extracted from the article]