Does anyone here have experience with having no suggested donation?
Paul,
At the Bozeman Bike Kitchen we have a list of suggested donations but they are not clearly displayed for the public to see. Instead, our volunteer staffers almost always use a phrase that suggest people pay whatever they can afford. This often means they donate five or ten dollars more than we might have suggested. If the individual then asks if a volunteer of "X" dollars is enough we may then inform them that the "suggested donation" is "Y" if they were hoping to give too little. We are always very quick to point out that we are an organization that operates regardless of ones financial standing and that no donation of any sort is required. We typically turn our backs to some other matter and let the individual make the donation to our donation jar on their own so they do not feel any pressure. This system typically works out for the best but occasionally we have people come in who are simply cheap and give us $5 for something we would normally get $15 for.
Cheers, Sam Bozeman Bike Kitchen