McDonald’s, the Chicago-based fast-food giant, told customers Tuesday it will no longer accept cash payments in exact change in response to a current penny shortage nationwide. This ruling shows the far-reaching consequences of the U.S. Treasury’s recent stop on penny production. It has produced no end of hardship for consumers and businesses across the country.
Currently, changes in payment methods only apply to cash purchases at participating McDonald’s locations. The firm acknowledged that not all its retailers will be able to give customers precise change. This limitation stems from an actual lack of available pennies. In turn, McDonald’s has rolled out contactless payment. These new alternatives make it easy to avoid the hassle of pennies, while making transactions easier and quicker for patrons.
“The penny shortage has impacted our operations, and we are adapting accordingly,” said a spokesperson for McDonald’s. Since pennies are no longer being made available across the country, some McDonald’s restaurants might no longer be able to give exact change. We’re here for the long haul, and we’re devoted to figuring out longer-term solutions to maintain simplicity and fairness for customers.
This modification is especially meaningful for McDonald’s units in modal-heavy venues, like airports. The fast-food chain currently has locations in several major airports, including Orlando International Airport and Portland International Airport. In these environments, self-service kiosks allow patrons to avoid cash transactions altogether. This innovation is one way to mitigate the stress from the penny shortage.
“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,” the spokesperson added. This past year’s unintended penny dislocation across the U.S. exposes deeper impacts on the retail industry at large.
As McDonald’s works through this new frontier, the brand is still focused on delivering on convenience and speed to their customers. So the company goes to great lengths to shorten the disruption. This approach ensures that cash transactions can go on without disruption, even as the shortage persists.
