McDonald's Faces Potential Challenge in Providing Exact Change Due to Penny Shortage, Company Reports

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(NEXSTAR) – Some McDonald’s patrons across the United States may notice a difference in how their cash transactions are rounded up since the production of pennies has been halted.

Following President Trump’s earlier decision to cease minting pennies, certain McDonald’s locations are experiencing penny shortages. As a result, customers paying with cash might not receive the exact change they anticipate.

McDonald’s USA addressed the issue in a statement to Nexstar, saying, “In light of the nationwide discontinuation of pennies, some of our locations may face challenges providing exact change. Our team is diligently working on long-term strategies to ensure simplicity and fairness for our customers. This challenge impacts retailers nationwide, and we are in ongoing discussions with the federal government to seek further guidance.”

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The statement from McDonald’s was prompted by inquiries about a viral social media image. The image purportedly shows a notice informing customers of a new change policy implemented by a McDonald’s franchisee in Illinois.

“We appreciate your understanding!” the sign says.

McDonald’s customers who pay in the app, or with a credit card or debit card, will not be affected by any of the changes. In some cases, cash-paying customers may be asked to use one of these cashless options if possible, the company confirmed.

A McDonald’s logo is shown at a restaurant in Warren, Michigan, on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

McDonald’s is not alone in adapting to the country’s penny shortage. Convenience stores including Love’s and Kwik Trip have enacted policies to round down the costs of customers’ purchases. Another convenience store chain, Sheetz, got so desperate for pennies that it briefly ran a promotion offering a free soda to customers who bring in 100 pennies.

Giant Eagle, a supermarket chain with more than 400 stores across Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana, is taking another approach to try and shore up their penny reserves. On Nov. 1, the supermarkets are encouraging customers to bring in their pennies (at least $0.50 worth) to exchange for a gift card valued at double the amount.

“At Giant Eagle, we saw a unique and fun opportunity to reward customers for joining our efforts,” Bill Artman, the president and CEO of Giant Eagle, stated of the promotion. “We invite everyone to check their change jars, desk drawers, and couch cushions to help keep pennies available for those who choose to pay with cash.”

Trump announced on Feb. 9 that the U.S. would no longer mint pennies, citing the high costs. The Treasury Department said in May that it was placing its last order of copper-zinc planchets — the blank metal disks that are minted into coins. In June, the last pennies were minted and by August, those pennies were distributed to banks and armored vehicle service companies.

In the months since, retailers and banks are in a bit of a penny pinch. And especially because the abrupt decision to get rid of the penny has come with no guidance from the federal government.

“We have been advocating abolition of the penny for 30 years. But this is not the way we wanted it to go,” said Jeff Lenard with the National Association of Convenience Stores.

The lack of pennies has also become a legal minefield for some stores and retailers. In certain states and cities, it is illegal to round up a transaction to the nearest nickel or dime because doing so would run afoul of laws that are supposed to place cash customers and debit and credit card customers on an equal playing field when it comes to item costs.

So, to avoid lawsuits, retailers are rounding down. While two or three cents may not seem like much, that extra change can add up over tens of thousands of transactions.

“We don’t want the penny back,” Lenard said. “We just want some sort of clarity from the federal government on what to do, as this issue is only going to get worse.”

The Associated Press contributed to this article.