I feel like this is really a semantic argument, then: what's a "tip", and what's actually an entry fee disguised as requesting tips. Tips, ideally, outside of the Bad Situation I and others have described re: making an actual living, are supposed to be a bonus (e.g. my next workplace after that one, where we made a base wage above minimum wage and tips were a bonus on top shared across a shift). Anything "required" is not a tip, even if they call it one. That's just a fee.
People misuse words, especially to deceive. "Tip" sounds nicer than "entry fee", so they use it to make it more enticing to pay. You're feeling pressured by the situations you've described because you detect this deception and know you're being charged a fee; meanwhile, those of us here who use "tip" as intended are reading it that way and reacting as if that were the thing described.
People misuse words, especially to deceive. "Tip" sounds nicer than "entry fee", so they use it to make it more enticing to pay. You're feeling pressured by the situations you've described because you detect this deception and know you're being charged a fee; meanwhile, those of us here who use "tip" as intended are reading it that way and reacting as if that were the thing described.