SAN DIEGO — The U.S. Mint stopped making pennies last month, and the impact is already being felt by local businesses. With many banks no longer able to supply them, restaurants and retailers are now deciding how to handle cash payments that don’t come out to an even amount.
John Tran, co-owner of Matcha Cafe Maiko and Ramen Station in Kearny Mesa, saw the shortage coming and grabbed what he could.
“When I heard the news about a month ago, I actually went to the bank a week later and got their last $5 pennies,” Tran said. “So I’m using those remaining pennies left, and once those are gone, we’re no longer going to accept pennies.”…