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There’s just something about the ice at Sonic. People are crazy about the stuff — magically crunchy and slushy at the same time and excellent at keeping cold beverages cold.
It’s technically called “nugget ice” or “pebble ice,” and you can buy a special ice maker to use at home if you really can’t get enough of the stuff. They can go for hundreds of dollars, but you can have it any time you like, even every day.
Fortunately, there’s a much cheaper option — go straight to the source and buy your ice at Sonic.
Yep. Many Sonic locations sell 10-pound bags of their famous ice for folks to bring home. And in most cases, it only costs a few dollars.
Just to check it out, we called Sonics in several different states to see if they sold ice, and for how much. Sure enough, each store we contacted sold the ice, and the price for a 10-pound bag ranged from $1.79 to $3.90.
Two Sonics in suburbs of Denver sell a 10-pound bag of ice for $3.90, making it the most “expensive” Sonic ice we found. A Sonic near Cincinnati, Ohio, charges the least of the Sonics we called, pricing a 10-pound bag at $1.79. We found Sonics that sell the bags of ice for around $2.80 in Missouri and Kansas, and for $3.20 in Miami.
All right, you’ve got your 10 pounds of melty, crunchable Sonic ice. Now what?
Food and Wine says pebble ice is the perfect choice for chilling sparkling wine and creating a cold seafood display. And of course, what would a mint julep be without a heap of ice nuggets filling the glass?
Over at Lifehacker’s Skillet site, fruity cocktails benefit the most from Sonic-style ice. Think piña coladas or the blackberry-accented bramble.
Speaking of fruit, nugget ice seems just right for making homemade smoothies and cooling summer drinks. Fire up the juicer, and you’ve got a super fresh treat to rival one of Sonic’s famous slushes or limeades.
I mentioned Sonic ice to a friend recently, and she said the athletic trainers at her high school kept bags of it in their office to use in cold packs. Kids passing through would sneak a handful and pop it in their mouths. Genius.
If you’re heading out to Sonic to pick up a bag of ice, be sure to call first — and get ready to be the hit of your next summer soiree.
About the Author
Kathleen was born in Iowa, but has spent most of her life in Colorado - with stints in Chicago, New York and Wyoming for variety. She’s written about things like music, food, nightlife, medical news, motorcycles, animals, bargain shopping, strip clubs and plants for publications like The Denver Post, Esquire, The A.V. Club, and Scripps' Simplemost and Don't Waste Your Money. More.
