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28m ago

Retailers Shift to Nearest-Nickel Cash Rounding as Penny Supplies Run Low

A swift halt to minting left no federal guidance, prompting a push for a national rounding rule.

A sign in a Kwik Trip store shows the store will no longer be using pennies to give change, on Oct. 23, 2025, in Yorkville, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
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A sign in a Kwik Trip store shows the store will no longer be using pennies to give change, on Oct. 23, 2025, in Yorkville, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
A sign in a Kwik Trip store shows the store will no longer be using pennies to give change, on Oct. 23, 2025, in Yorkville, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Overview

  • McDonald’s confirms some restaurants are rounding cash change up or down to the nearest five cents where pennies are unavailable, with card and app payments unchanged.
  • The Federal Reserve says locations accepting penny deposits and fulfilling orders will vary as inventories deplete, and AP reports many coin terminals are closed to penny deposits and withdrawals.
  • Kroger shoppers are seeing rounding line items and exact-change requests, while Kwik Trip says rounding down to avoid legal risk will cost about $3 million this year.
  • The Treasury halted penny production after costs exceeded value, projecting about $56 million in annual savings; the last pennies were minted in June and distributed by August.
  • Retail and banking groups are urging Congress to set a standard, with the proposed Common Cents Act allowing nearest-nickel rounding, as some bankers argue the issue reflects recirculation more than absolute scarcity.