Most people I know, which aren't many, don't carry change with them anymore. If I do make a cash transaction it is paper only. Any coins I get in change get tossed in a jar when I get home and empty my pockets. I'll fish through the change looking for quarters before I go to the car wash. Even there, most have credit card readers.
I've yet to have anyone refuse to make change, but the signs are up. I think a big problem is that banks have made it difficult to turn in coins. Most banks don't have coin counters anymore, and will only take coins from account holders. To add to the silliness, last time I went into BofA with rolled coins, they broke them all open and bagged them to be sent off elsewhere for counting, and of course they always short you a bit. I couldn't believe this, I thought rolled coins were preferred. I know, BofA. I'll change banks someday. I'm currently sitting on 50lb+ of change that needs to be turned in. I'm going to call them first to make sure they even still accept coins before lugging it in. I've heard some stories of banks not even accepting coin deposits anymore and telling people to just hit a CoinStar (the nerve!) but I'll ask before I assume the worst. I'm sure many people (myself included) refuse CoinStar due to either having to pay a ridiculous fee, or opt for one of a handful of gift cards that you don't really want. Tons (literally) of change could be brought back into circulation if it was treated by banks and coin services like cash instead of garbage. They did this to themselves.
I am in the same position. My credit does say they are taking coins so you may try a CU in your area. Going to lug mine in there ASAP.
Change is my way of "rounding up" for the next coin show. If I get a pocket full of change, I dump it into a type of storage tube bank at home that counts it. When the quarters are full, I dump it in a US Mint bag and start again. I don't mind getting the change back, but I'm not going to load my pockets with more stuff when I leave in the morning. Eventually I take it to the bank and cash it in. Usually once a year. I then apply the funds to the next coin show. Really the only thing I physically use the bank for anymore. There's no need to go there for anything else.
Banks and coin services would treat it like cash if it were worth more than the cost of sorting, counting, and shipping it. Ditch everything smaller than the quarter. Ditch the half. Bring back $5, $10, and $20 coins, naturally in base metals. Make coins that are worth counting.
I was on a road trip last week, and I think it was in Tennessee or maybe Goergia we stopped for gas and the station had a handwritten sign saying "Exact change only on cash"
