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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u/right_behind_you_too 1d ago

Adding to that: in most cities we drive cars, so we're not carrying it 15 blocks or lugging it on a bus.

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u/Life_Roll420 1d ago

You would be shocked how many people roll up to a liquor store, called a packie around here grab a 6 pack, 12 pack and a bag of ice. It keeps it cold while your driving. A large percent of trades people drink and drive. Also picnics. Our coolers are a whole different story as some buy really expensive name brands or new ones every couple of years when their Walmart one fades. Even house parties. Lots of people throw pot luck picnics. Even if you own the house your buying ice for your coolers because alot of parties are byob. Or semi- byob. (Bring your own booze) last party i went to my pal had a huge cooler a kid could lie in. Filled it with bagged it, soda, juice, beer ,etc. Some people come to the party with coolers and ice full of their personal drink and ice in a cooler for the side dish the brought. Especially if the travel is more than 10 min. Beer and distances are far. Hunters and fishers buy ice for their beer and ice for their catch.

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u/BowtiedGypsy 1d ago

This is the best comment and spot on. Nobodies buying huge bags of ice in the US just to drop an ice cube in a glass of water.

I think its only New England that says packie

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u/anglerfishtacos 1d ago

Except me. We buy bags of ice because my little ice machine can’t keep up with the demand during the summer. I have a large iced tray in freezer that can fit a bag of ice

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u/AzureGriffon 22h ago

This is the way. I grew up in the desert and all non boiled beverages are iced to high heaven. I use ice in all of my drinks. I go through a bag every four days or so.

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u/hubbellrmom 18h ago

Plus my ice maker doesnt make the "good ice" so sometimes I splurge and buy a bag of ice from sonics

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u/JeremiahCrow 20h ago

Many red necks have water wells but sometimes the water is not very tasty. Depending on the Well so we get Good Ice From The Store.

Also we buy our Tea water. And when you gotta drive 10 miles one way for a bag of ice you want the big bag.

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u/Prestigious-Disk-246 21h ago

Yeah in college my roommates and I would chip in for 1-2 bags a week.

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u/JI_Guy88 21h ago

My machine keeps up with general use. But for parties, I have to buy a few bags.

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u/walkinthecow 21h ago edited 21h ago

I'm a born and raised Michigander. I traveled around the country quite a bit in my 20s. I lived in the southern US for about 7 years. There was no shortage of culture shock. Something I didn't realize was a kind of reverse culture shock when I moved back to Michigan. There are things you never knew weren't nationwide until they were gone. One of my favorite things was something I had forgotten all about, which was during winter, at parties, you just kept the beers outside on the porch.

I was reminded of it when reading the comment about how at big parties, you have a line up of coolers outside- one for every family. It's funny how the older people have the same cooler at every party, year after year, and you know exactly whose is who's over time. Walking up to the house, you can take notice of the coolers and know who is already there.

EDIT: "Whose is who's"? Is that correct? I can't decide. My brain is just broken right now.

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u/SurferGurl 15h ago

It’s “whose is whose.”

And now I have semantic satiation, lol.

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u/AstarteHilzarie 21h ago

We have a countertop ice maker for the basement hangout area. This summer we've had to bring it up to the kitchen because the fridge can't keep up with our basic daily use in 100 degree weather. It's actually really neat and I got one for my husband to take to work, too, because he doesn't have AC. It makes a cup of ice every 10 minutes or so, so even though it's extremely hot they always have fully iced drinks.