You clicked on this, which means I’m willing to bet you’re like me. People like us know the truth: Ice is so much more than something to make your drink cold. Great ice is a pleasure to crunch in its own right.
Which fast-food restaurants do this crucial thing correctly? Where should you go for ice that gets as much care as, if not more than, the food? I tried five popular fast-food chains and ranked their ice cubes based on taste, texture, and crunchability.
Here’s what I found.
Best: Sonic Drive-In
In this world, there are a lot of “There-are-two-types-of-people” situations, but when it comes to pebble ice, really, there are two types of people. There are those who adore those tiny little nuggets, and there are those who don’t care about ice.
I’m one of the former. This type of ice is the best ice, period, and Sonic does it perfectly. Each nug is the exact right size, somewhere around 3/8″-1/2″. There is no better type of ice in this universe more enjoyable to crunch down on, and no fast-food restaurant more reliable to enjoy it at.
2. Chick-fil-A
I am splitting serious hairs, people. Chick-fil-A’s ice (which you can buy) is just a little bit bigger than Sonic’s, and it’s slightly less enjoyable. But really, I mean slightly. Maybe you like your pellet ice a little bigger, maybe not. Beyond the size, I’ve got no notes. Chick-fil-A knows what it’s doing with that ice, especially when it comes to the delicious iced coffee.
3. McDonald’s
Some thin, some curved. Some triangular, some flat. Some are bumpy, yet some are smooth. No two ice cubes at McDonald’s are the same, and I think when we’re in the world of non-pellet ice, this is what I enjoy. You’ll find all kinds of adventure in the McDonald’s ice, so make sure to save some for the end of the meal. Great way to clean the food out of your teeth, ya know?
4. Burger King
I like what Burger King has going on here. Each chip is surprisingly similar to one another, all with the same half-oval shape. They have those little bumpies on them too, which is a nice texture on my tongue. At this point, this ice is so similar to standard ice that you’d never notice anything unique about it. It’s fine. It’ll do.
5. Taco Bell
It’s not like Taco Bell has bad ice. I don’t even know what it means to have bad ice, unless you’re using some sort of old, nasty water. Taco Bell is slinging classic ice chips; long, flat and rectangular. These things are a little hard to crunch in your mouth, but mind over matter, you know? Taco Bell does plenty of innovating, but it isn’t happening here in the ice department.
