To resolve this in a way that honored both our team and our customers’ generosity — and complied with state regulations — I proposed and implemented a thoughtful solution:
✅ We installed a charity donation box by the exit door.
✅ Each month, we selected a Charity of the Month to receive the donations, ensuring transparency and giving back to causes aligned with our company’s values.
✅ The initiative not only redirected customer generosity into meaningful contributions, but also strengthened our community relationships and reinforced our commitment to social responsibility. And the Big Green check was born.
This small but impactful change eliminated the tipping confusion, enhanced the customer experience, supported our team culture, and resulted in thousands of dollars raised for local charities over time.
It was a great example of identifying a challenge, understanding regulatory boundaries, and designing a win–win solution that benefited everyone — the business, the customers, the employees, and the community. Below are some of the promotions and drives I created, promoted to build awareness.
Here’s a brief list of charities that have been spotlighted:
- Lowell General Hospital – TeamWalk for CancerCare
- Afro‑American Community Collaborative
- Project Kompass
- Bike Connector
- Merrimack Valley food Bank
- Lowell Humane Society
- Clean River Project
- Greater Lowell Health Alliance
- And More
