You may need a lot of ice in bulk all of a sudden. Perhaps you can't make this much ice at once or your refrigerator doesn't have enough room for it. Therefore, you will need to purchase ice bags. If that's the case, you might be wondering: where to buy bags of ice near me? Read this article till the end to find out in detail!
Your nearest grocery stores, super markets, gas stations, dollar stores, convenience stores, restaurants, are the best places to get ice. Most importantly, you can also buy bags of ice from the aforementioned places at the lowest possible price.
A bag of ice can become a necessity at times. Most people throw parties every now and then and when they do, they frequently feel the need for crushed or cubed ice. In this article, you will learn about the different places to buy bags of ice near you.
Some Stores That Sell Bagged Ice
The grocery store is the first place to buy some of the commodities you need. There is nothing that the local grocery stores in the US don't own. In fact, buying stuff from here is a lot easier, saves you money, and you can buy in bulk.
Moreover, the payment method is relatively easy too. You can use a card and buy ice bags in bulk. Furthermore, most grocery shops have special offers going on all year round. Let us look into some of the closest grocery stores where you can buy bags of ice.
Costco
Costco is one of the most popular super shops in the US. They have several branches throughout the same state. They sell cubed ice bags, and each bag may weigh about 20 pounds.
Albertson's
Albertson's is another popular area, and they have smaller sizes of ice bags. You can buy ice bags of size 10 pounds from them.
Food Giant
The Food Giant has more than 100 outlets throughout several states. They have smaller and bigger bags of ice. Primarily, they also sell cubed ice.
Harris Teeter
Who hasn't heard of this place! The specialty of these Harris Teeter stores is that they can serve square cocktail pattern ice blocks and cubed ice. Besides, their bags come in two sizes, 5 pounds and 10 pounds.
Kroger
Actually, they are just like another Target. The ice bags, however, come in two sizes, 10 pounds and 20 pounds. Search for your nearest Kroger next time you need ice!
Target
Is there anything you can't find at Target? It is one of the largest grocery stores in America. The ice bags are easy to find at your nearest Target. The sizes are 10 pounds and 20 pounds.
Walmart
Walmart has made it onto the list for selling different sizes of ice. For the versatility of their selection of items, they come in three different ice bag sizes – 7, 10, and 22 pounds.
Chevron
Another easy-to-find nearby place is Chevron. Look for your nearest Chevron to get bags of cubed ice in sizes of 10 and 20 pounds.
Family Express
Sometimes people prefer pre-crushed ice bags for their purposes which is quite uncommon and rare to come by. So, thanks to the Family Express for selling bags of crushed ice too. The bags are as small as 8 pounds and as large as 20 pounds.
BP
Since all the worth mentioning stores are named here, BP must not skip the list. They sell cubed ice bags of 20 pounds.
Other Places
There are several other stores like BJ's Wholesale Club, Sam's Club, Cub Foods, Food Lion, H-E-B, Giant Eagle, Safeway, etc. All these stores definitely come within your walking or driving distance. They also offer various sizes that are convenient for you. So, buying ice for parties won't be a hassle anymore!
Besides, in bigger towns, you can buy ice bags from convenience stores. But they may not always have some in stock. So, it is always better to call them beforehand. Sometimes, convenience stores do not sell bags of ice in smaller towns or in remote places.
In this case, some of the noteworthy convenience stores selling bags of ice are: Wawa, 7-Eleven, Kwik Trip, Cumberland Farms, Walgreens, Circle K, etc.
Furthermore, some fast-food restaurants can help you with bags of ice in your dire times of need. But all fast-food restaurants may not be able to help you with it. Also, it may be against their policies.
Besides, some restaurants also offer bags of ice at the drive-thru. For example, you have Dunkin' Donuts, Chick-Fil-A, Arby's, McDonald's, Burger King, Steak 'n Shake, Wendy's, etc.
So, How Much Does A Bag Of Ice Cost?
Basically, ice is nothing but water. So, these ice bags can be pretty cheap. A one-pound bag of ice may cost you about 0.16 to 0.40$. Of course, the price range depends on a lot of other factors.
To be fair, there are a number of things that can decide the price of ice bags. These factors are discussed below in detail.
- The Size of The Bag: Often, oversized bags can save you a lot of money. In particular, buying the 20 pounds bag may be more profitable than buying the 10 pounds bags of ice in many stores. The difference in their costs is very minute. So, why get less at almost the same price!
- The Place: The cost can vary from one store to another. For example, what you buy at Costco can be cheaper than an identical product from Walmart. So, make a comparison of the prices before you buy.
- The Variety of Ice: It is one of the essential factors behind the price. Of course, customised ice cubes of different shapes and sizes are not available everywhere. Not all stores can provide you with ice of however form you want.
So, the bags of regular cubed ice can be cheaper as they are readily available. But if you are looking for chipped, crushed, or customised ones, you need to pay the extra dollars!
- Season: During summer, there is an increasing demand for cold water and ice everywhere. So, it is natural that the retailers will increase the price during summertime. Of course, you can notice a fall in the price during the winter.
- The State: Everything tends to be expensive in NY or California. Your friend living in Mississippi or South Dakota may buy ice bags at a much lower price than you in NY. So, the state you live in can also impact the overall costs!
Can You Order Ice Bags Online?
Yes, you can order ice bags online. But you need to pay an extra delivery charge to get home delivery. As the ice may melt soon, they try special packaging, which can cost you a bit extra.
Among the stores mentioned in the first part, most of these stores will help you order ice bags online. Just call up their number and ask for home delivery.
Moreover, the best part about ordering online is that you can save the extra gas and money by driving there.
Suppose you went to buy crushed ice at the Family Express near your house, but it isn't available at the moment. So, you drove all the way up there to find no ice. In these cases, an online inquiry could have saved your gas bill and money! So, checking online or making a call beforehand is always better.
Can You Get Bagged Ice At Gas Stations?
Yes, often, the nearest place for you to buy bags of ice may be a gas station. If you live near one, you may already have some experience with this!
Some gas stations are also open 24 hours. So, you can get ice from these places at any hour of the day as per your requirements.
People going out to relax, for a party, or on a fantastic road trip frequently require ice on the way. So, gas stations are doing a really excellent job of selling ice to these people! One of the famous gas stations selling ice bags is ExxonMobil.
Moreover, the gas stations' prices may also be lower than the regular prices at the grocery stores. So, you may be making a profit by buying ice from the gas stations! Think about your next purchase well!
Be Cautious About Storing The Ice Bags
Actually, it is common sense to store the ice bags away from heat sources or direct sunlight. It is better to store it in some dark place. If you are going on a road trip, keep the ice bags covered with insulating material like felt or cork sheets.
Besides, when storing at home, try to hold the ice bags in your refrigerator or cooler. Do not keep these with the raw fish and meat in your deep freezers. The smell may contaminate the ice bags, and the ice may become unfit for future use. So, store these ice bags isolated.
However, avoid buying in bulk if you do not have a freezer or a cooler. Buy as much as you need, and use it up soon. This way, you will have no money wasted.
A bag of ice is an essential item that is hard to find sometimes at the local stores. So, there are other places, like gas stations, dollar stores, convenience stores, restaurants, etc., where you can also find a bag of ice. And luckily, any of these places will be within walking or driving distance.
So, if you are thinking about where to buy bags of ice near me, you may have found your answers. Thank you for reading the entire article with patience. Have a good day!
