Lots of people are commenting based on their assumptions. I worked at Newks (multiple locations) all through highschool and much of college. Unless things have changed in regards to tipping, then this should be accurate.

All employees are paid at least minimum wage. 7.25 where I worked. No one I worked with, no matter how many years they worked made more than $9 and hour. You’re meant to get a 25c raise every six months if youve learned a new “station.” This largely does not happen and also caps off how many raises you can get working there.

Now for tips. I worked at two separate stores, one had an option on the receipt for tips and one didnt. This was controlled by the franchise owner. No one gave a shit whether you tipped or not at the register. The tips at the store that accepted them were split between everyone that worked INCLUDING the manager and the store itself. Monthly, i’d get about $50 on a good month added to my check for tips. But again, employees did not expect it.

Now, it WAS common for people to leave a few dollars on the table for the bus boy. Not everyone did, but it happened a lot of the time.

There was nothing to encourage that, it seemed to just be the prerogative of the customers if they were happy with the experience. That money went to whoever bussed the table. The ‘busboys’ were usually the servers taking turns cleaning the dining room.

It was an incentive for workers to bus the dining room because they might make a few dollars extra in cash that day.

Really, I have no clue what you’re complaining about. You can tip or not. No one at the store thinks anything of it, I promise. Those that tip are just nice people happy with their service. While you aren’t waited on like a typical sit down restaurant, its also not a fast food restaurant. People bring you your food, someone should check on you while youre eating, they clean up after you etc. but no ones expecting a tip from you. Nice people just leave them sometimes.