OC bikini bars - huh. What are they good for? (absolutely nothing?)

The last Hottie vs. Hottie thread opened my eyes to a type of club that, from what I've seen, seems to exist mostly in Orange County, California: the bikini bar. All the West Coast girls in that survey are employed at a bikini bar in Westminster. There quite a few clubs in the OC that fit the description, where there's no stage, no lap dancing or anything else like that, but they have bartenders in bikinis serving drinks. Based on the reviews, they seem to just be places where you can get a drink and have some eye candy while doing so. What actually happens in these places? Are they basically like Hooters minus the food, but with more skin? Do the girls sit on your lap or anything when they take your order or bring you drinks? Are they basically just good for pre-gaming before heading off to a nude club (note that in CA, nude clubs can't serve alcohol)? There's a lot of them around and I just can't see how they really stay in business because it doesn't look like the drinks cost any more than a regular bar, and there are plenty of real strip clubs around, including topless clubs that do serve drinks. How do the girls make their money? Do they get significantly better tips than at a normal bar? If they're a decent business proposition, why do they only seem to exist in the OC and not San Diego or LA (although given SD strip club laws, there's really not too much of a difference)?