Empire Kosher Supermarket in Crown Heights began implementing a new cash-rounding policy to navigate the ongoing national coin shortage; they round the total up. Full Story, Video
By COLlive reporter
Customers shopping at Empire Kosher Supermarket in Crown Heights will soon see a slight adjustment at checkout.
In a notice posted in the store, Empire Kosher announced that beginning February 17, 2026, cash transactions will be rounded to the nearest five cents due to the ongoing national coin shortage.
Under the new policy, final cash totals will be rounded to the nearest $0.05. Totals ending in .01, .02, .06, or .07 will be rounded down, while totals ending in .03, .04, .08, or .09 will be rounded up.
Payments made by credit card or other digital methods will continue to be charged to the exact cent, with no rounding.
Shoppers who prefer exact pricing are encouraged to utilize digital payment methods or provide their own coins whenever possible.
The change comes amid ongoing coin circulation challenges across the United States. Limited availability of certain denominations has prompted some retailers to temporarily round cash transactions to the nearest nickel, while digital payments remain precise.
Empire Kosher said the adjustment is intended to help manage small-change shortages efficiently while keeping checkout lines moving smoothly.
