This is an extremely interesting and thought provoking thread -thank you OP.
Prior to my first Camino this year I had no experience as a pilgrim. I was a backpacker, paying commercial rates at commercial properties. Think private Albergues.
Like many I researched the camino and came across this forum , and similar excellent posts to the ones above. Posts like #2 from
@J Willhaus & #3 from
@Tincatinker became my guide to this topic.
I think an additional factor needs to be considered. I believe that sometimes the Donativo is private, and then presumably the donation also supports the Hospitaliers. On the Primitivo, Bodenaya and Casa Pascal come to mind. One new, one in new ownership. Without sufficient (financial) support, both will cease to exist.
At Bodenaya, I encouraged my fellow pilgrims to be generous. One man in the group, who'd already done the Frances, was of the opinion that "€5 was sufficient, it's just like in church, an offering" . He also pointed out that the neighbours had donated the lettuce for the salad , so why should he pay for it? The meal was an excellent soup, fresh bread, a huge mixed salad, cold meat, cheeses, a dessert, and wine ! We'd also had an excellent breakfast, and our hosts were amazing.
I offered the reasoning above, which in his whole time on the Frances, he had not heard. He increased his offering, but not by a lot. He's a rather well off I might add, I got to know him well.
Later, on the trail, the subject came back up again. Somebody else mentioned that in one Donativo they'd had a list of the owners costs on display. At the end, the owner had written something along the lines of
" I love the Camino, and I hope you do to. If you cannot afford to give, please stay, free, in my home with my blessing. If you can, please be generous, so that I, too, can continue to give."
My friend was more generous in the next Donativo. A little education can go a long way.