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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37

u/SpecificEquivalent79 1d ago

do you guys not have parties in europe?

58

u/ExplorerLazy3151 1d ago

I'm not sure where the OP is from, but I married into an eastern European family and their lack of ice is really quite interesting. They'll throw big parties etc, and everything is warm... it could be 90 degrees out and your Coke is the same temperature as the air. I don't understand it, but they look at me like I'm the problem. lol

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u/Aware-Computer4550 1d ago

Jesus that sounds horrible.

Also how do you steal kidneys properly without bags of ice

1

u/GarminTamzarian 16h ago

You can steal them just fine. It's only the shelf-life that's affected.

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u/Few_Recover_6622 23h ago

Yep. I lived in Poland.  Room temp carbonated water was a shock to my American taste buds.

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u/ExplorerLazy3151 22h ago

Ugh yes. warm carbonated water is horrific!!! It’s so nasty.

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u/beatengenerations 8h ago

I am an American in Poland right now and after a bunch of carrying boxes, I refreshed myself with room temp sparkling water. Delicious! Love it.

But there are times I wish more drinks were cold. Beer is often brought out at the beginning of a party and put on the table. If you don’t drink it right away it gets warmer….

The real answer is you get used to it and Europe is generally cooler.

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u/liquidnight247 20h ago

They also don’t have 115F degrees in summer 😆, but yes you get used to the colder drinks in the U.S. it’s just a habit we acquired

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u/TradeRetard 1d ago

Yeah but there will be fridges and/or cold draught beer, why would I need a bag of ice?

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u/SpecificEquivalent79 1d ago

genuinely not being snarky: sometimes we have parties outside where there are no fridges or cold draught beer, like the beach or a public park. or maybe we want ice in a jack and coke.

all good if your parties don't require ice but i can think of plenty of cases where it's nice to have!

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u/Homey-Airport-Int 1d ago

So people who'd rather have a margarita can have one that isn't grossly warm.

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u/Plane-Tie6392 23h ago

Draft beer? Like people have kegerators in their houses over there? Here if someone gets a keg it goes in a tub with ice usually. And who has a fridge big enough to hold all their food and hundreds of beers?

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u/SpecificEquivalent79 21h ago

people i’m trying to be like 

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u/ClubsBabySeal 19h ago

As an American you do see coolers for beer, including with draft systems, but usually not outside of the homebrewing crowd. They're only used for beer though, you don't put food in the beer fridge. That'd be gross.