OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — For some outlets of a certain convenience store chain, there’s been an issue since the U.S. began the gradual discontinuation of penny production.
The debate to stop making pennies in the U.S. has been ongoing for years. In May, the Trump administration made the move to cease new penny production. According to the U.S. Mint, producing a penny now costs 3.69 cents, a 20% increase from the prior year, and it’s been 19 years since the penny has cost more to make than it is worth.
As of late September, several Federal Reserve coin distribution sites have stopped fulfilling penny orders, taking penny deposits, or both.
It’s seemingly starting to have an impact.
An internal email shared with Nexstar’s KFOR shows that dozens of Love’s Travel Stops locations are dealing with a shortage of the one-cent coins.
The email showed that an emergency call was held with Love’s and other unnamed retailers.
As a result, numerous Love’s stores are now rounding up change to benefit the customer, leading to a depletion of their reserve of seven to eight pennies a day. Although they anticipated shortages by mid to late 2026, the timeline has accelerated, affecting 54 stores with many more likely to follow.
The internal email also indicated that most Love’s locations have a week’s supply of pennies on hand, but the situation is evolving.
“The decision by the U.S. Government to halt penny production is an evolving issue that is impacting retailers across the country, including Love’s Travel Stops,” stated Ulysses Ochoa, director of operations for Love’s Travel Stops, in an interview with KFOR. “Currently, only about 50 of Love’s over 660 locations spread across 42 states are feeling the impact.”
According to Ochoa, stores that run out of pennies will round up change “in favor of the customer.”
The penny shortage hardly appears limited to Love’s.
An article from the National Association of Convenience Stores in September highlights the same concerns. It mentions that the last batch of pennies was minted in June, with distribution concluding in August, warning of emerging supply challenges expected to worsen.
In the article, an association representative is quoted saying, “NACS has brought these industry worries to the attention of Congress and the Administration, advocating for federal measures to allow rounding of cash transactions.”
Nexstar contacted multiple other convenience store chains, including 7-Eleven, Buc-ee’s, Sheetz, QuikTrip, and Kwik Trip, to determine if they have been impacted as well, but did not immediately receive responses.
Nexstar also reached out to home improvement retailer Home Depot. In a Reddit thread, users claiming to be employees said their stores have posted signs within the last week that warn of a penny shortage and tell customers they’ll need exact change if making a cash transaction. Home Depot did not respond to Nexstar’s inquiry.
