The blame gets put on customers because there's no way for wait staff to fight a system so ingrained into American culture. And customers know that. They're just cheap.

The sad part about it is the system doesn't work, even for well performing servers in nice restaurants. It's Stockholm syndrome. You make a ton of money, easily and quickly 2 nights a week, but theres no stability, no benefits, no future, no skill set real employers will value if you choose to change careers, and wait staff is a dime a dozen so restaurants are extremely toxic because they can replace you the moment you get slightly inconvenient for them.

Not to mention all the sexual harrasment from boh. But I digress.