Do ALL table bussers get paid by tips + the measly 2.00 an hour?

The state you live in has a very low minimum wage ($7.50 in CA). You must first look at how much the servers are making to determine if what he's making is good or not (also how many hours he works). Another way to determine if he's being paid a fair amount is to look at how much other people in the restaurant make (Cooks, dishwashers, hostess, servers, bartenders, and so on). If they are all making way more money, then I'd say he's not making enough. Another way to look at it is that bussing is an introduction to serving, and it could lead to much more money down the road. If the employer sees a good worker in your son, we would hope they promote from within, and he can make more money down the road. Once he gets a little more experience, he should make a little more money. If I were your son, I would do a little research and see what other jobs are paying. Maybe he's working in the wrong restaurant, or maybe that's the going rate where you live. He can also ask the manager what he can do to make more money.