I can see that and I have no problem with tipping. My contention is these high priced Fern and Fan places where the owner is making a killing that won’t pay a decent wage and depends on the public basically paying his staff.
I avoid fern bars as much as possible, Im far more comfortable in a neighborhood bar and grill. Ive seen cases even worse than what you site, when I was in California there were bars where the wait staff had to pay for the privilege of working.