Festival Foods announced today that, as national penny supplies continue to decline, the company will begin rounding cash transactions down to the nearest five cents at all store locations.
The change will roll out gradually as each store’s supply of pennies is depleted. Guests paying in cash will see totals automatically rounded down, ensuring they never pay more than their purchase price. Purchases made with debit, credit, EBT, or mobile payment will continue to be processed at the exact total.
“Our guests count on us for convenience, fairness and transparency,” said Tracy Cleaves, Senior Director of Guest Services. “With pennies in short supply nationwide, this small change keeps checkout simple and always in our guests’ favor.”
The U.S. Treasury has announced it will cease production of new pennies, leading to limited availability across banks and retailers. Festival’s new rounding process will help keep checkout lines moving quickly without relying on coins that are no longer widely circulated.
How it works:
- Cash totals will be rounded down to the nearest 0¢ or 5¢
- Digital and card payments remain unaffected.
Festival Foods’ systems will automatically apply the rounding at checkout, and signage at registers will help explain the update to guests.
“We appreciate our guests’ understanding as we make this transition,” added Cleaves. “Our goal is to make every checkout experience friendly, fast and fair — this change simply helps us do that.”