PNC concessions tips stay with the people or groups that work that particular stand/cart/bar less a small % for 'back of the house' (beer team, commissary, etc). Durham Bulls pulls 20% off the top which is crazy, especially when they pool ALL of their tips across the stadium.
Before the pandemic, you could always tip at bars but had to sign the paper receipt to do it. With the new POS (Point of sale) system, it has the software to be able to have tips set up at the rest of the food vendors.
The 'no tip' button and the rest of them on the screens are touchy, as in, don't slam your finger on it. If you use a gentle touch, it works better. I've been able to reach around the screen and hit the no tip button and it go through easily after someone's tried it a few times.
Places can accept cash tips but most cashiers or bartenders won't have change. A handful of bartenders keep change on them but not many.
The stands/carts/bars that are run by groups should have signs on them and their staff won't be in red/white shirts in a food stand/cart (1st/3rd floor) or black/grey (1st/3rd floor) in a bar. 2nd floor is run by another line of business within concessions so I don't remember what they wear now. Groups will only work bars that sell canned beer, none with liquor.
Bartenders made $7.25/hour. The other concessions positions make a more, between $11-14/hr last time I looked.
STM discounts don't work on alcohol. Blame NC. It's state law. We have really strict alcohol laws and it's the same reason we don't have 'happy hours' like most states. Also, the alcohol drink rules at PNC are a little different than other venues because they host college sports. That means 2 beers/wine/seltzer per person or 1 liquor drink. That 1 can be a single or a double but only 1 physical cup. So 1 person can't buy a beer and a mixed drink. Stupid rule, I know but the bartenders don't make the rules. (Supposedly the 1 liquor drink thing came out as the compromise to get beer sold at college sporting events but that's only gossip).
The same thing the front line staff can't help or change is the pricing or the fact that starting this season, tax is in addition to the posted price instead of already being added in. The latter is due to the state tax office starting to crack down on businesses that do their pricing that way due to a regulatory change. The former, well, I think it's a combination of things, including inflation. It would be interesting to see the year over year numbers.
One last thing I want to share about the concessions staff and tipping. For part time seasonal work, there are some long tenured staff. Some have been there 5, 10, 20 years. There's always some newbies but for the most part, it's tenured. For demographics, it's a strong mix of students, NC state employees (including a bunch of teachers), retirees, single parents, sandwich generation (caring for their kids and their parents) and other people that either use this as a 2nd job (and work a day job already) or they string together a series of part time and/or seasonal jobs to keep the lights on and food on the table.
You may have a moral objection to tipping and want to see the paradigm shift to where companies pay better wages. Trust me, I do too. But please keep in mind that most people who work there do because they need the money and the tips are a good part of that. It's not easy work either. I do it because I enjoy my regulars, the new visitors, my coworkers, being 'behind the scenes' and because I need the money.
Signed,
A 9 year concession employee
(*this is my personal opinion and I am not speaking on behalf of the Canes or Gale Force)