When I went to NYC in the late 1980’s I was broke was about to lose my house ,had a ton of debt and a wife in law school. Her cousin got me a job in NYC gay bar and the first night I worked I made a few thousand. The patrons knew my story and treated me well.
Back then a good night was five or six hundred.
Back then it was a week’s pay, maybe more, for most people; good deal!