As pennies are phased out in the U.S., states are considering or implementing policies for rounding cash transactions to the nearest five cents, raising legal and consumer protection questions, with some advocating for federal guidance to ensure fairness and consistency.
McDonald's is updating its cash payment system in response to the U.S. Treasury's discontinuation of pennies, implementing rounding to the nearest 5 cents for cash transactions at some locations, while card payments remain unaffected.
The US plans to stop minting pennies by 2026, but existing coins will remain legal tender for years, leading to a gradual transition where cash transactions are rounded to the nearest nickel, especially in cash-heavy retail settings, while electronic payments remain unaffected.