Common Cents Act sets rules for penny-free cash sales

Restaurants and other cash-taking businesses would gain a standard method for rounding purchases when pennies are unavailable under the Common Cents Act. The Senate approved the legislation last night, completing its trip through Congress and sending it to President Trump. Businesses that apply the measure’s rounding system would also receive protection against related liability.

The change is especially significant for restaurants, where cash represents more than a quarter of yearly sales. Penny production has ended, and merchants unable to return the precise amount can face slower transactions, dissatisfied customers and added uncertainty. The National Restaurant Association spent months working with lawmakers in both chambers on a uniform approach for handling those sales.

The trade group says the measure would give operators and customers a more predictable checkout process during the shift away from pennies. The issue reaches a large sector: restaurants and foodservice businesses added more than $1.5 trillion to the U.S. economy in 2025, equal to about 5% of GDP measured at current prices. The association represents an industry spanning more than 1 million locations and 15.7 million workers.