If you're a cranky old cash user like me, McDonald's doesn't want your business.

Let me clarify: I'm sure McDonald's, despite being the largest fast-food chain by sales in the world, still wants everybody's business, including mine. But the company just announced it will be rounding cash orders to the nearest nickel. Blame the nationwide penny shortage.

It costs more than 1 cent to make a penny, what with the price of copper and all. But penny-pinchers and those who still — yes still — pay with cash are always on the short end of the stick when problems arise. So much for being responsible.

So far, it's only a few franchises in Illinois who have posted notice of the ... change.

“Following the discontinuation of pennies nationwide, some McDonald’s locations may not be able to provide exact change,” McDonald’s said in a statement to Nexstar. “We have a team actively working on long-term solutions to keep things simple and fair for customers. 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.”

Los Angeles Magazine reports that Love’s, Kwik Trip and Sheetz have similar policies, while some businesses are encouraging customers to bring in their personal piles of pennies.

Critics of the penny have for years called for its forced extinction, citing the ever-increasing cost to produce them. But no action was taken until earlier this year when President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Mint to halt production.

Here are the current coin-production costs (FY 2024):
1-cent coin (penny): ~3.69 cents to produce
5-cent coin (nickel): ~13.78 cents
10-cent coin (dime): ~5.76 cents
25-cent coin (quarter): ~14.68 cents

Once the penny is gone, many of our cherished sayings will pass right along with it. "A dime saved is a dime earned" doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

Bah bah bah bah bah — Not lovin' it!