I think it depends on the kind of etablissement. Around here its more like a show, so normally there are as well themes about it, as "Burlesque", "Carneval" or its a kind of comedy show included. Or more the acrobatic/sporty kind with real classy dancers. But as mentioned in this kind of etablissment its more like in a theatre, so tehre is a distance between the plattform and the audience and no interacting between each other, beside applausing. Like the similar mentioned Chippendales show, its simply about going there with friends, having some fun and cheer a bit, but its not about engaging with the dancers.
As far as I understood, the kind of stripclub that the threadstarter girlfriend seems to mean is more of that disguised bordell style, which I would not agree too as well. In the best way, the girls will be told to get you into buying them alcohol, so they normally try to get your interest, get into an conversation, act as if they were interested in you, and when they have cateched your focus, they will say, that they now "sadly" must go to work on, according to the club rules, because they are only allowed to interact with the guests, as long as they get payed drinks by them. So they "Really, really like you, but sadly must go now..." If you are drunken and/or stupid, that can easily cost you tons of money. In the worst way, they will try to get your focus to offer you "special services".
So no prob with the first mentioned kind of etablissment, but if my partner wanted to visit the second mentioned one, I´d be pissed too. ^^