If you've ever been to Sonic or any other restaurant that offers the
unique, nugget ice that Sonic provides, you've probably asked yourself
at one point or another: "What kind of ice machine does Sonic use?" The
chewable, frozen gem-sized treats can be eaten on their own and also
work well to cool your drinks. They taste light, fluffy, and refreshing.
This ice has even found Facebook pages dedicated to its existence.
These one-of-a-kind frozen treats come from none other than a (cue the
drumroll) Scotsman Nugget Ice Machine!
In 1981, Scotsman Industries created their first nugget machine, and for the next 30 years, this ice has seen its popularity explode, especially when Sonic began offering it in their signature beverages. When people found out that the ice in their glasses was as enjoyable as their drinks themselves, its popularity skyrocketed even further. Other companies quickly took note of the popularity spike, and began developing their own nugget producing machines. Ice-O-Matic offered 'Pearls'. Hoshizaki offered 'Cubelets', and Manitowoc stuck with the traditional 'Nugget' name. Scotsman's ice maker however, was and has remained the machine preferred by Sonic Drive-In.
If you're looking for the exact ice machine that makes Sonic Ice, you would be led to one of Scotsman's commercial ice making heads. Scotsman offers four of these units: the N0422, the N0622, the N0922, and the N1322. These four machines provide anywhere between 300 and 1300 pounds of nugget ice on a daily basis. Generally, the size of the establishment and the demand for ice will determine which machine is used in each location. The hours which the business is open for operation will also play a role in the purchase of a suitable machine. With these ice making heads, a compatible storage bin is required, which can also be chosen based on the amount of ice required on hand during peak business hours.
In 1981, Scotsman Industries created their first nugget machine, and for the next 30 years, this ice has seen its popularity explode, especially when Sonic began offering it in their signature beverages. When people found out that the ice in their glasses was as enjoyable as their drinks themselves, its popularity skyrocketed even further. Other companies quickly took note of the popularity spike, and began developing their own nugget producing machines. Ice-O-Matic offered 'Pearls'. Hoshizaki offered 'Cubelets', and Manitowoc stuck with the traditional 'Nugget' name. Scotsman's ice maker however, was and has remained the machine preferred by Sonic Drive-In.
If you're looking for the exact ice machine that makes Sonic Ice, you would be led to one of Scotsman's commercial ice making heads. Scotsman offers four of these units: the N0422, the N0622, the N0922, and the N1322. These four machines provide anywhere between 300 and 1300 pounds of nugget ice on a daily basis. Generally, the size of the establishment and the demand for ice will determine which machine is used in each location. The hours which the business is open for operation will also play a role in the purchase of a suitable machine. With these ice making heads, a compatible storage bin is required, which can also be chosen based on the amount of ice required on hand during peak business hours.
