McDonald’s is among several large companies adjusting to a growing shortage of pennies following the U.S. Mint’s decision to stop producing the coin two months ago, according to USA Today.
Retailers including Kroger, Home Depot, and Kwik Trip have already reported localized shortages. McDonald’s confirmed that some of its U.S. locations have also been affected and are rounding cash transactions to the nearest 5 cents when customers do not have exact change.
“Following the discontinuation of pennies nationwide, some McDonald’s locations may not be able to provide exact change,” the company said in a statement to USA Today.
“We have a team actively working on long-term solutions to keep things simple and fair for customers,” the company said. “This is an issue affecting all retailers across the country, and we will continue to work with the federal government to obtain guidance on this matter going forward.”
The company said cash totals are rounded down or up by as much as 2 cents, depending on the amount owed. For example, a $12.06 order could be adjusted down to $12.05, while a $9.39 purchase could be rounded up to $9.40.
The policy applies only to cash transactions. Most McDonald’s payments are now made by credit card or through the company’s app. Restaurants may also ask customers to use exact change or cashless options until supplies normalize.
Rounding practices like this are common in countries that have discontinued low-value coins, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Each uses its own rounding rules, according to Money.com.
The United States is not technically out of pennies. The American Bankers Association says about 250 billion remain in circulation. But the association noted that supply disruptions have emerged since the U.S. Mint halted production.
Roughly one-third of the Federal Reserve’s 165 coin terminals have stopped handling penny transactions, leading to regional shortages where those facilities no longer circulate the coins.
The decision to end production followed a February directive from President Donald Trump instructing the Treasury Department to stop minting pennies, which cost 3.69 cents each to produce.
Restaurant and retail industry groups have asked Congress to authorize rounding cash totals to the nearest nickel, arguing it would simplify transactions and ease the strain from the penny shortage.
The proposal is supported by organizations, including the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association and other trade coalitions.
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