A routine stop at a fast-food restaurant turned into a question of policy and principle this week after an Augusta customer said she was not given full change for a cash purchase.
Tabatha said she visited the McDonald’s on Western Avenue and received a bill totaling just over $6. After handing the cashier $7, she was given 50 cents in change. According to Tabatha, the cashier told her the restaurant no longer uses pennies and that she would not receive the remaining 3 cents.
While the amount itself was small, Tabatha said the situation stood out based on her past management experience. She questioned why the transaction was not rounded up to 55 cents instead.
Tabatha said she did not raise the issue over the three cents but noted that repeated instances of withheld change could add up quickly over time. She also questioned whether withholding money owed to customers, even in small amounts, could be considered improper and asked whether the practice is becoming more common.
A not-so-happy meal
The incident comes as the U.S. Mint has stopped producing new pennies after the Treasury Department determined the cost of making the one cent coin exceeded its face value. Existing pennies remain legal tender, though no new ones are being produced.
As penny supplies dwindle, businesses and banks nationwide have begun adjusting cash-handling practices, including rounding transactions or requesting exact change.
It remains unclear whether the policy described by the cashier reflects a standard practice at the Augusta location or elsewhere, leaving customers with, as the saying goes, ”a penny for your thoughts.”
