25 Places That Will Sell You a Bag of Ice: Cube and/or Crushed

William Lipovsky | Verified & Updated 10/18/2018
bags of ice

Need a bag of ice or two? Browse our list of sellers, organized by store type, or see the table for quicker scanning. We’ve included information about the type of ice (cubed, crushed, etc), whether it’s available for pick up or delivery, and available bag sizes.

How Much Is a Bag of Ice?

Bagged ice sells for between $0.16 and $0.40 per pound.

For example, a 5 lb. bag of Arctic Glacier Premium Ice at Walmart costs about $1.50 and a 10 lb. bag costs about $2.00. That’s $0.20 to $0.30 per pound. Shop Rite prices rival Walmart prices, with a 7 lb. bag of Arctic Glacier Premium Ice costing about $0.30 per pound. A 20 lb. bag of the same Arctic Glacier Premium Ice sells for about $3.20 at Sam’s Club — that’s just $0.16 per pound. Prices can often vary between different locations of the same store (ice is in higher demand during certain seasons and in certain areas, after all). At 7-Eleven, for example, a 10 lb. bag of ice can sell for between $2.50 and $4. That’s $0.25 to $0.40 per pound.

Fast food restaurants that sell ice often offer the most competitive prices, sometimes selling a bag of ice for just $1 or $2. But, they’ll have more inconsistent supplies than grocery stores. Restaurants are more often franchised, and so not all will sell ice, and those that do might not always have it in stock because their focus is meals, not ice. But you can’t go wrong buying at a grocery or convenience store, and ice is generally affordable and not overpriced anywhere.

Types of Bagged Ice

Not all bagged ice is created equal. If you are using bagged ice for consumption, make sure the bag is marked with the International Packaged Ice Association (IPIA) seal — a guarantee that the product has met the IPIA’s strict quality and safety policy.

Ice can become contaminated with bacteria and viruses, so it is important to only choose bags of ice that have the IPIA seal and are sealed to prevent contamination. Bags of ice made and bagged in convenience stores and other locations may have come in contact with unsanitary conditions and shouldn’t be used in beverages.

Some of the biggest IPIA-member bagged ice companies include:

  • Arctic Glacier Ice
  • Arctic Ice
  • Cape Cod Ice Company
  • Chesapeake Bay Ice
  • Diamond Ice
  • Good Time Ice
  • Kwik Trip, Inc.
  • Penguin Ice
  • Reddy Ice

See the full list of bagged ice companies approved by the IPIA.

Bagged ice is almost always sold as ice cubes. You may also find “cocktail” ice, which usually means smaller cubes, ideal for cold beverages and cocktails. Expect to pay slightly more for this type of ice. Crushed ice is not usually sold in bags because if it melts slightly and refreezes, it turns into a block of ice.

Places That Sell Bagged Ice In-Store

Your best bet for snagging a bag of ice will usually be your local grocery store or gas station/convenience store. We confirmed that the following national/regional grocery stores sell bagged ice. You may also have luck finding bagged ice at your small, neighborhood grocery store.

Grocery Stores

Albertsons

Food Lion

Publix

Safeway

Sam’s Club

Target

Walmart

Whole Foods

Gas Stations and Convenience Stores

A few phone calls revealed what we suspected — the majority of gas stations/convenience stores carry bagged ice. Save yourself a trip and make a call before you head out to make sure they have the bagged ice you need in-stock. Bagged ice is often limited during the summer months and the holiday season.

7-Eleven

Chevron

Circle K

Cumberland Farms

ExxonMobil

Kwik Trip

Sheetz

Wawa

Restaurants

There are plenty of restaurants (usually fast food ones) that sell ice to accommodate customers on the go. Because fast food restaurants are usually independently owned franchises, we can’t guarantee that the following restaurants will definitely carry the bagged ice you’re looking for. It’s always a good idea to call ahead to confirm if the restaurant you’re headed to sells bagged ice. Here is the list of restaurants that may sell you bagged ice — we found some locations of each of these that do.

Arby’s

Burger King

Chick-fil-A

Dairy Queen

Dunkin’

McDonald’s

Sonic

Steak ‘n Shake

Wendy’s

Places That Sell Bagged Ice Online

Ice Companies

If you need a large delivery of ice, there are plenty of companies that can accommodate you. However, because delivery comes in the form of refrigerated trucks, you will need to find one located close to you. You can use this interactive map to find an ice company near you.

Online ice companies sell almost exclusively to establishments that require large quantities of ice. That means if you need a bag or two, it is unlikely that you’ll be able to order it through an ice company. For example, Arctic Ice takes online orders but requires a minimum order of at least 75 7-lb. bags, 75 11-lb. bags, or 25 20-lb. bags.

Grocery Stores

Most grocery stores carry ice, and these days more and more deliver groceries, too. Check with local grocery stores that deliver in your area, most that deliver will also deliver ice, even though it’s a bit heavy.

There are two ways grocery stores go about delivering. Some have their own delivery service, and some use a third-party delivery service. Popular third-party delivery services include Instacart and Peapod. With these apps, you can sign up and order groceries from several different stores, all through the same platform. Major grocery stores with their own delivery services include Albertsons, Costco, Safeway, and others.

Need a large amount of ice? Here’s Where to Go If You Need Access to an Ice Machine

Need a lot very large amount of ice? Here Are the Places That Rent out Commercial Ice Machines

In Summary

When purchasing bagged ice, remember that the price, size, and supply will vary depending on where you live and the season. Ice is usually cheap and easy to find at your local grocery store, convenience store, or gas station. If you’ll be using the ice for consumption, be sure to choose a bag with the IPIA seal, which indicates that the ice is free of contaminants and safe for consumption.

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7 comments

      • Kathleen Wilson says:
        First Quarter Finance logostaff

        Hi there,
        Since SONIC locations are all individual franchises, store owner have some flexibility in setting their own policies. This mean that not all SONICs necessarily sell crushed ice, although it doesn’t hurt to ask! Chances are, your local SONIC probably does sell crushed ice.

        Reply
  • Name* (displayed publicly) says:

    hi,I live in Tauranga area,i have a function coming up and looking for big bags of ice,just wanting to know if their is a place here that sells them please

    Reply