I have never been to a kiddush club and my shul does not have one.
That said, it seems that these kiddush clubs in America, although not a new phenomenon, have grown in size and number lately, and I will propose an explanation. It cuts across modern, yeshivish, or whatever flavor the shul subscribes to.
Yiddishkeit in America is flourishing to an astounding degree. Whether it is in torah study, financial success, or political clout, it has never been better. The result is that the frum/orthodox social structure is so confident, stable and secure, that simply belonging to it is enough to ensure personal and familial stability and satisfaction.
The ultimate consequence is that what counts is whether one is considered a member of that social structure, and not whether he observes all of its rules. If one wears the right uniform, sends his children to the right yeshiva, gives tzedakah to the right institutions, walks the walk and talks the talk, he is “in the club”, accepted, respected, even admired.
The social system will then not require him to do business honestly, be modest and humble, and have true love of Jews even if they are “not unzerer”. If he has money, his kid will never be kicked out of yeshiva for being chutzpadik. His kids will get good shidduchim. And finally, the system will certainly not demand from him to get to shul on time and listen to the leining and haftorah. After all, why should he? He is “in” and that’s what counts, for everything. He has stability, success and kavod.
This is how yiddishkeit runs in America and probably worldwide.
It’s all about the image and not the substance. Get used to it, the kiddush club is not going away so quickly, it is only a symptom and not the disease. If it does, rest assured something else, maybe more sinister, will replace it.