Harris Teeter penny and cash rounding policy
Harris Teeter rounds cash transactions to the nearest five cents, and the rounding always favors the customer. Card and digital payments are not affected, and receipts show the adjustment.
What Harris Teeter does with cash totals
A Harris Teeter spokesperson told the Post and Courier in November 2025 that when rounding occurs, “we will reduce the amount owed to us, meaning the rounding will always favor the customer.” Customers may therefore receive more change than the exact amount owed.
In practice, a cash total ending in 1–4 cents rounds down to 0, and one ending in 6–9 cents rounds down to 5. You never pay more than the exact price. Harris Teeter, part of Kroger, says all rounding adjustments are shown on receipts.
What you pay in cash
| Exact total | You pay in cash | Difference | Card / app |
|---|---|---|---|
| $7.81 | $7.80 | −1¢ | $7.81 |
| $7.82 | $7.80 | −2¢ | $7.82 |
| $7.83 | $7.80 | −3¢ | $7.83 |
| $7.84 | $7.80 | −4¢ | $7.84 |
| $7.85 | $7.85 | same | $7.85 |
| $7.86 | $7.85 | −1¢ | $7.86 |
| $7.87 | $7.85 | −2¢ | $7.87 |
| $7.88 | $7.85 | −3¢ | $7.88 |
| $7.89 | $7.85 | −4¢ | $7.89 |
Does it vary by state?
Harris Teeter operates mainly in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and District of Columbia. North Carolina (since July 2, 2026), Virginia and Maryland allow optional nearest-nickel rounding, and rounding in the customer’s favor charges less than any of those rules would. South Carolina has tax guidance but no rounding law, and D.C. law bars charging cash payers more, which customer-favor rounding never does.
Card vs cash
“Card and digital payments are not affected,” the company said. EBT payments are electronic and also charged exactly.
Tips for customers
- Paying cash at Harris Teeter never costs more than the exact total, and can save up to 4¢.
- Check your receipt: the rounding adjustment should be listed.
- If a register rounds your cash total up, point to the company’s policy and ask for a correction.
What the company has said
- “When rounding occurs, we will reduce the amount owed to us, meaning the rounding will always favor the customer”
- “Card and digital payments are not affected.”
- “All rounding adjustments will be clearly shown on receipts.”