The Story of Scotsman and Sonic Ice
Not many restaurant chains are known for their ice, but in the mid-1980s, the Oklahoma City-based Sonic Drive-In chain started using a form of ice invented a few years earlier by Scotsman, a decision that transformed the fast food drink industry.
Sonic offers classic American foods and a large drink menu, but some customers visit just to order cups of Sonic Ice, which is still made by machines featuring Scotsman's Original Chewable Nugget Ice®.
What Kind of Ice Does Sonic Have?
Made of compressed ice flakes that form a cylinder approximately the size your pinky tip, nugget ice differs from every other shape of ice due to its pockets of air and water. The Sonic ice maker employs a specialized process to make ice that resembles flake ice production. An auger scrapes off flakes of ice that form on a cylinder and pushes them towards a small opening that acts like a sausage stuffer, compressing the flakes together to form a semi-solid nugget.
Scotsman originally designed nugget ice machines as a safer, more moldable alternative to traditional ice cubes. "[Nugget ice] ended up being much more reliable to dispense and more versatile in use case," A Scotsman spokesperson said. "For healthcare, it was moldable for ice packs and became a high-tech version of 'ice chips' for patients to hydrate and chew."
But the healthcare hydration solution turned into a national fast food phenomenon. Over the next 40 years, chewable ice became an important commodity in the foodservice industry. Machines are now made by multiple manufacturers, and cubes are found in the drinks of large restaurant chains like Chick-fil-A, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, and Wendy's.
Scotsman, a U.S.-based ice machine manufacturer, has pioneered ice making since the 1950s. In 1981, Scotsman introduced the model MH750 Original Chewable Nugget Ice machine, which measured 66 inches long by 431/5 inches wide by 543/5 inches tall and produced a first-of-its-kind chewable ice cube.
"We didn't really know it was going to be such a hit" Robert Utter, a retired Scotsman engineer, told The Wall Street Journal.1 Nevertheless, Sonic's use of Scotsman nugget ice machines has developed a cult following. The company even sells it by the bag for home use.
Something to Chew on: Why Sonic Ice Is So Popular
According to Scotsman, 80 percent of customers prefer nugget ice in their soft drinks.2 That popularity is attributable to a few key factors. Rather than leaving guests with a heap of still-frozen ice cubes after their drink is finished, nugget ice becomes part of the drink experience. Many nugget ice fans point to its flavor-retaining properties. Since the cubes have water and air pockets, they absorb some of the drink they're in, retaining its flavor even after all the liquid is gone.
Its soft texture is another reason Sonic-goers prefer nugget ice, which makes chewing more pleasant or even addicting for some. You don't have to be in a hospital bed to enjoy it.
What Sets Scotsman's Sonic Ice Machine Apart?
Scotsman's Original Chewable Nugget Ice isn't just popular among consumers; it benefits food operations as well. According to Scotsman, their machines use 40 percent less water and 15 percent less energy than a traditional cube ice machine. It also has a 9- to 20-percent higher drink displacement rate, saving operators on syrup and beverage costs.2
Nugget ice cools drinks rapidly while maintaining its chewable structure and feel. Scotsman now sells two kinds of nugget ice. Original nugget ice has about 74 percent of standard cube hardness (which is great for bin storage), making it the softest nugget ice in the market. H2 nugget ice is closer to 85 percent of an ice cube's hardness, which works better with dispensing machines.
Scotsman's ultra-soft ice allows Sonic customers to enjoy an ice texture similar to shaved ice while retaining a structure they can chew or suck on. The unique consistency of their ice has become one of the key features of the Sonic experience. Unlike other major chains, they even feature a 49-cent cup of ice on their online menu.3
To learn more about nugget ice and how to purchase your own Sonic ice cube maker, visit KaTom's collection of Scotsman nugget ice makers.
References
- Chew This Over: Munchable Ice Sells Like Hotcakes. Accessed May 2025.
- Scotsman Nugget Ice Story Sell Sheet. Scotsman Ice. Accessed May 2025.
- Cup of Ice Sonic. Accessed May 2025.
