For Chester County residents who enjoy a breakfast McMuffin, a Big Mac for dinner, or a McFlurry for dessert from McDonald’s, you might want to start carrying exact change.
Some McDonald’s customers paying in cash could soon see their totals rounded up or down to the nearest five cents as the U.S. begins phasing out the penny.
Back in May, the U.S. Treasury Department announced it would begin winding down production of new pennies after President Donald Trump directed the Treasury Secretary in February to halt the minting of 1-cent coins.
“For far too long the United States has minted pennies, which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Let’s rip the waste out of our great nation’s budget, even if it’s a penny at a time,” the President said in a statement.
According to the Treasury Department, over the past decade the cost of producing a single penny has nearly tripled, from 1.3 cents to 3.69 cents in 2024. The U.S. Mint, a bureau of the Treasury Department responsible for producing coinage, reported an $85.3 million loss from penny production in fiscal year 2024 alone.
With the penny’s production halted and retailers such as Kroger, Home Depot, and Kwik Shop already experiencing shortages, McDonald’s has joined the growing list of businesses adapting to the change.
In a statement, the fast-food giant said:
“Following the discontinuation of pennies nationwide, some McDonald’s locations may not be able to provide exact change. We have a team actively working on long-term solutions to keep things simple and fair for customers. 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.”
As a result, customers paying with cash may see their totals rounded to the nearest five cents. Those paying with cards or digital methods, such as credit, debit, or Apple Pay, will not be affected.
New pennies are expected to stop entering circulation by early 2026, following the Treasury’s final order of penny blanks earlier this year.
So, if you’re craving McDonald’s and plan to pay in cash, be ready, your order might cost just a few cents more (or less) than you expect.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.