QR code-enabled tips to street performers at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Abstract “Hat lines” such as “take one or two pounds out of the wallet…and give me the rest” have been passed down and perfected by generation after generation of street performers. The recent rise of mobile payments has forced them to radically change tack, displaying signage with quick response (QR) codes that lead to cashless tips. We analysed data from the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival to investigate factors that influence the audience use of QR code signs displayed by performers and subsequent tipping activity. We find that what type of act is performing, when and where, and the sign(s) on display are associated with audience activity through QR code scans. Once a code is scanned, we find what type of act is performing, when and where, the sign(s) displayed, and the configuration of the webpage they are directed to are associated with tip activity. Our results provide insights into digital tipping and may help the current generation of street performers, beyond the Edinburgh Fringe, to understand how to incorporate digital payments into their shows and provide insights in other contexts where voluntary donations are sought through scans or tap-to-tip payments terminals.