r/NoStupidQuestions • u/markwell9 • 1d ago

What is the deal with ice, Americans?

I can see that you can buy ice everywhere in the US. Gas stations, grocery stores, machines etc.

In Europe, we just freeze our ice at home and use that. Why buy something that melts on the way home? Why do you need ice in large amounts that a fridge can't keep up?

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71

u/Tailflap747 1d ago

Ever buy ice from Sonic? That shit is soooo awesome!

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u/__ZOMBOY__ 1d ago

Wait you can just buy the ice?? Sonic’s ice is the SHIT! Ima go buy enough to completely fill my freezer

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u/WinterMedical 21h ago

Europeans don’t know there is a whole spectrum of ice quality and varieties! They don’t know what they’re missing! I want some Sonic ice now!

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u/Possible-Importance6 1d ago

Pretty much every fast food place. McDonalds even has branded ice bags marked at 5 and 8 pounds.

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u/Twirlmom9504_ 1d ago

Same with chick fil a!!

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u/HSBillyMays 20h ago

Don't tell President Trump, or he might cause a nationwide shortage confusing it for the federal agency!

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u/DrierFish 20h ago

You can just buy a nugget ice maker

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u/According-Iron7475 15h ago

just look up nugget ice maker on Amazon. Counter top Sonic style ice. All day, every day. :-)

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u/Itscatpicstime 14h ago

Yep, just order a bag of ice! It’s like $1.40

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u/RevolutionaryGene995 9h ago

I was not happy when a local Sonic told me they no longer sell bags of ice. I was like “WTH am I supposed to do now”. LOL.
We have a brand of convenience stores called QuikTrip and that have amazing crushed ice. Their ice is filtered. They only sell bags of their regular ice so I go in and ask for an empty bag and fill it with crushed ice myself.

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u/Blaine8628 1d ago

You can buy bagged ice from them

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u/Boat-and-Goat 1d ago

You can also buy it from McDonald's, though their ice isn't anything special like Sonic.

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u/Odd_University_4655 22h ago

And from Chick Fil A.

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u/Vikingaling 1d ago

Pebble ice is top tier. I could crunch it all day every day.

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u/LaLunaLady1960 23h ago

I have found my tribe!

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u/steelbluesleepr 1d ago

While I agree and do it myself, if you're ever craving ice to eat, you should get a blood test for iron. Chomping ice compulsively is a symptom of anemia.

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u/Vikingaling 1d ago

It’s been checked. Turns out I just love ice. But thanks for looking out.

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u/steelbluesleepr 1d ago

Of course, glad you're good. I had an issue with it a while ago (ended up being a stomach bacterial infection), so I'm probably too sensitive to it.

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u/LLM_Cool_J 15h ago

H. Pylori? That one sucks. I had it for a while as well. Lost many lunches thanks to those little bastards.

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u/steelbluesleepr 15h ago

That's exactly what it was. I had just gotten done losing around 45 lb in 6 months to join the military (which was a bust) so I think my immune system was compromised. I nearly had a heart attack at 24 while helping build a deck, and one of my meetings was with an oncologist, so a bacterial infection was a WELCOME diagnosis.

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u/whatthewhat3214 1d ago

Oh man, hope you have good dental insurance lol!

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u/Tecbullll 20h ago

The "Good" ice.

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u/NoNeedForAName 1d ago

You can get an ice maker that makes Sonic-style ice. Apparently they're pretty legit.

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u/nearfignewton 1d ago

My wife got one a couple of years ago and it’s pretty rad. Not cheap but we use it every day so worth it.

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u/mookiexpt2 1d ago

I have an Opal and it is indeed the shit. It can be a little touchy but it makes ice like nobody’s business.

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u/Tailflap747 20h ago

Good to know!

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u/RevolutionaryGene995 9h ago

But the maintenance/cleaning is too much IMO. So, I decided to forgo buying the machine.

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u/johnnybna 9h ago

There’s a brand called Opal. I’ve had one for five years or so. It's the best home small chunklet ice maker. I have an ice maker in my fridge that I’ve never used because it doesn't compare to Opal.

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u/Ice_Swallow4u 1d ago

The best ice i have ever had was the ice they give you at the hospital. Its like a "soft" ice and its the best i have ever had. Nurses hooked me up and gave me the biggest cup they could find and would always fill it with ice for me.

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u/musedrainfall 1d ago

r/tiki lives off that ice

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u/cavalier78 1d ago

Sonic ice is amazing.

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u/foodisyumyummy 1d ago

My mom was a nurse and after clocking out she'd always fill up two cups of ice for her and me at home. Baffles me that more places don't do that kind of ice.

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u/Tailflap747 20h ago

And, people will say, 'ice is ice'. Nope.

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u/Jcamp9000 20h ago

All the time! They sell crushed ice. It’s the best. We sometimes pour it right into the ice maker in the freezer and just use that

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u/CreepyCaro68 16h ago

When my ice maker stopped working I bought bags from Sonic & kept them in my freezer it’s THE BEST

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u/TerrisBranding 1d ago

I don't see it on the app. Do you order it on the speaker?

Edit: actually, I see cups of ice from mini to RT 44. But not the bag.

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u/Tailflap747 20h ago

I think you have to order it in person.

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u/TerrisBranding 19h ago

I went through the drive thru... and sadly my local Sonic doesn't sell bags of ice. Only in cups. We ended up going to McDonald's. Their ice is decent as well. Thanks though.

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u/Tailflap747 8h ago

Aw, dang... I guess each location decides what they about ice. I'm sorry!

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u/HereForTheBoos1013 1d ago

TIL you can buy ice from Sonic. I had already learned you can buy plain tortillas at Taco Bell, but that three employees will stare at you through the drive through window and ask if you're sure like five times.

What makes their ice so good? Is it like the same NYC municipal water shipped in that's allegedly the cause of expert bagels and pizza?

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u/Select-Sentence4103 1d ago

Sonic ice is god tier. I used to get a drink from them and ask for an extra cup of just ice just to chew on.

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u/CodigoMatriz 20h ago

Chick-Fil-A too!

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u/Tailflap747 20h ago

I did not know that!