I have met some wait staff that has gone to school for hospitality and while they make shit pay, I have had friends easily making about $2000 a week and they don't want to go to a wage system.
I have never waited, but I get the point, if you do good you can make good cash. It's the same with comission jobs.
Where tips suck is if you are at a dead place, cheap place, or you are a lazy shitty waiter.
Good service gets good tips. If you are on your phone making TikToks when you're supposed to be taking an order, and you smell like an ashtray every time you come to the table, that is why you have shit tips, and it's the same reason no one would hire you at some sort of normal wage.
Some people believe they are not paid for their worth, but it's actually heartbreaking to think how many people will flat out say NO to a job that's an actual career.
It's like when Uber drivers get upset that they don't get full benefits but lose their shit when you mention spending 5 hours a week driving around isn't really a job.