JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — If you’re paying with cash at a restaurant, you may notice your total bill is either being rounded up or down.
It’s a new practice being put in place at some businesses because new pennies are no longer being minted.
Action News Jax found a sign at a McDonald’s on Monument Road. It was posted on the wall behind the registers.
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It’s letting cash-paying customers know the menu prices have not changed, but they will be rounding cash change to the nearest 5 cents.
So, if your total ends in 1 or 2 cents, they’ll round down to 0. But if it ends in 3 or 4 cents, they’ll round up to 5.
Some customers, like Kevin Greek, said they don’t see the change being much of an issue.“I don’t think it’s going to affect me too much,” Greek said. “I never deal with cash. I always pay with my card.”But Greek said he can see how those small amounts could add up.
“Especially with the expense that everything is now,” Greek said. “It’s going to be a problem.”The National Restaurant Association said more than 1 in 4 purchases are paid in cash annually.
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The group estimates that rounding down could cost restaurants $13 to $14 million per month.
And now association leaders said they are working with Congress to pass a law that would create nationwide authority for rounding cash transactions when pennies aren’t available.
McDonald’s USA sent Action News Jax a statement:
“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.”
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