Does Sonic have nugget ice?
Yes. Sonic's soft, chewable nugget ice ("Sonic ice") is part of the brand, and Sonic's own chef has described it as the ice used across its locations.
Bags of ice: Many drive-ins sell bags of Sonic ice, but Sonic says that depends on local health-department rules, so call ahead if you want a bag.
What we found
- Sonic's Brand Executive Chef told PureWow that the ice used at Sonic's 3,500+ locations is "soft pellet ice", the style also called nugget, pearl or cubelet ice.
- Ice-machine maker Scotsman, a Sonic supplier for more than 30 years, says its Original Chewable Nugget Ice is "very much a part of SONIC's identity" and that customers expect it in their drinks at Sonic.
- Individual drive-ins can still have an ice machine down on a given day, so the pins on our map are chain-wide listings, not individually confirmed.
2,882 Sonic locations on the map
Locations from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). They're chain-wide listings, not individually confirmed. If one is closed or its machine is out, vote “no longer has it.”
Cities with the most Sonic locations
By state
Sources
- America's Not-So Secret Love Affair with Sonic Ice
PureWow · Press
The type of ice Sonic uses at their more than 3,500 locations is, according to Scott Uehlein, Brand Executive Chef at Sonic, "soft pellet ice," aka nugget, pearl, cubelet or hospital ice…
- SONIC BOOM: "America's Drive-in" is Growing through Customization (Ali Group / Scotsman case study)
Scotsman Ice Systems (Ali Group) · c. 2015 · Equipment-maker case study
Scotsman is the creator of The Original Chewable Nugget Ice® that SONIC customers have loved over the years. This ice is very much a part of SONIC's identity. It can be seen in commercials, on the website, and on the menu board.
- Why Sonic's Ice Is the Best Ice
GQ · 2018-07-27 · Press
According to Uehlein, "Many drive-ins sell Sonic Ice by the bag, depending on their local health-department regulations."
Menus and equipment change, so call ahead if you're making a special trip.
Sonic Drive-In and its logo are trademarks of their respective owner. Nugget Ice Finder is an independent directory and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sonic Drive-In.