Why the disparity? (Contribute your conjectures please.)

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Background info: I'm an Aspie.
I dined at a cafe which hires both Aspies and NTs. Throughout my meal, I observed that the Aspie employees were all polite and cheerful (they never stopped smiling and they bowed very often) whereas the NT employees all seemed very grumpy (as if they were all waiting for their shift to end soon). Why the disparity?

I honestly can't say because it can be so many reasons.

Those particular Aspies could be nicer than those particular NTs.

Or, perhaps the boss treats some better than others.

Or, perhaps some are better workers to begin with.

Or, perhaps some don't let emotions show or surface the same way others do.

I'm speaking of these specific people, not all Aspies and not all NTs.

How do you know which ones are the Aspies and which ones are the NTs?
Were they wearing neurology classification badges or something?

If so, then it doesn't sound like the sort of cafe in which I would want to be in, because I wouldn't want to support any notion of labelling people in this way.

Or were you relying on your own observations to say "he seems like an Aspie, so I will conclude he is, etc..".

Onto the main question though, why the Aspie employees seemed "all polite & cheerful" and the NTs (however they were defined) were apparently grumpy...
If such an experiment were conducted then it would be because the Aspies are so well practiced in pretending to be someone that they are not. Many NTs have lived most of their lives just being themselves (although many NTs have various anxiety issues and pretend to have another personality etc..)

I assumed the OP knew everyone on staff there personally. Small town, or something like that. Or they were all in school together.

Watch them when they look at you. Aspies (the ones that don't look you in the eyes) are pretty obvious. At least that kind is. There are likely some other signs too, such as pedantic speech. I've noticed some people do little jigs when they are happy (listening to their inner radio).

Assuming you got the peeps correctly identified. My guess is that the Aspies have their minds on what they are doing and are enjoying their job; the NT's are bored brainless and want to be somewhere else.

Maybe the aspies enjoy their work and want to give the best, but to NT the work is a 'low status' job so they don't want to be seen enjoying it. They just want money so they can spend it with friends or on family.

Maybe aspies feel like they need to try harder when employed.