When you’re throwing a party this Labor Day weekend or just trying to stay cool during the scorching last days of summer, ya gotta have plenty of ice on hand, and your fridge can only make so much. But buying bags of ice can get pretty pricey, right? Don’t worry — we’ll tell you where to buy ice near you without overpaying.
Convenience stores aren’t your only option either. We’ve scoured supermarkets and some unexpected places, like fast-food chains, to find the best deals on bags of ice.
Sit back and find a beverage. Here’s everywhere you can get cheap ice near you. (And if you’re looking for more than just ice deals, we’ve collected all the food deals near you too.)
NOTE : Availability and pricing may vary per location and region, so make sure to call ahead and make sure that they’re selling bags of ice.
Where to Buy Ice at Fast-Food Restaurants
Did you know that some fast-food restaurants sell their ice to their customers? They may even allow you to order it through their app or website.
The cheapest option that we’ve seen is from Sonic Drive-In, where they sell a 10-pound bag of ice for $2.50, or $0.25/lb. Here’s where you can purchase ice at fast-food restaurants:
Chick-fil-A, $0.43/lb
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6 lb, $2.59 — ($0.43/lb)
McDonald’s, $0.60/lb
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5 lb, $2.99 — ($0.60/lb)
Sonic Drive-In, $0.25/lb
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10 lb, $2.50 — ($0.25/lb)
Where to Buy Ice at Retailers
Out of the retailers that sell ice, Costco is the winner at $0.13 per pound. You'll have to have a Costco membership and want a 20-pound bag to get it that cheap though.
BJ’s Whole Foods, $0.22/lb
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20 lb, $4.49 — ($0.22/lb)
Costco, $0.13/lb
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20 lb, $2.59 _ ($0.13/lb)
Dollar General, $0.21/lb
Dollar Tree, $0.29/lb
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7 lb, $2 — ($0.29/lb.)
Sam’s Club, $0.15/lb
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20 lb, $2.98 — ($0.15/lb)
Target, $0.36/lb
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7 lb, $2.49 — ($0.36/lb)
Walgreens, $0.25/lb
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10 lb, $2.49 — ($0.25/lb)
Walmart, $0.20/lb
Where to Buy Ice at Grocery Stores
Grocery stores will either have ice in a freezer outside the store or in the frozen section. You can purchase the cheapest bag of ice for $0.25/lb when you purchase from Fred Meyer (10-pound bag at $2.50) or Giant Eagle (20-pound bag at $4.99). Here’s how all the various grocery stores’ ice prices — generally speaking — shake out:
Albertsons, $0.30/lb
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10 lb, $2.99 — ($0.30/lb)
Cub Foods, $0.31/lb
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7 lb, $3.99 — ($0.57/lb)
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16 lb, $4.99 — ($0.31/lb)
Food Lion, $0.31/lb
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7 lb, $2.99 — ($0.43/lb)
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16 lb, $4.99 — ($0.31/lb)
Fred Meyer, $0.25/lb
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10 lb, $2.50 — ($0.25/lb)
Giant Eagle, $0.25/lb
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7 lb, $2.29 — ($0.33/lb)
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20 lb, $4.99 — ($0.25/lb)
Giant, $0.37/lb
Harris Teeter, $0.43/lb
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7 lb, $2.99 — ($0.43/lb)
H-E-B, $0.35/lb
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7 lb, $2.42 — ($0.35/lb)
Hy-Vee, $0.30/lb
Kroger, $0.27/lb
Price Chopper, $0.32/lb
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7 lb, $2.49 — ($0.36/lb)
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16 lb, $5.19 — ($0.32/lb)
Publix, $0.28/lb
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7 lb, $2.77 — ($0.40/lb)
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16 lb, $4.47 — ($0.28/lb)
Safeway, $0.46/lb
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9 lb, $5.29 — ($0.59/lb)
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16 lb, $7.29 — ($0.46/lb)
ShopRite, $0.27/lb
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8 lb, $2.99 — ($0.37/lb)
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16 lb, $4.29 — ($0.27/lb)
Wegmans. $0.31/lb
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5 lb, $2.99 — ($0.60/lb)
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16 lb, $4.99 — ($0.31/lb)
Where to Buy Ice at Gas Stations
You’ll be able to find ice coolers outside most gas stations. Prices range from $0.30/lb - $0.86/lb, with the cheapest ice coming from 7-Eleven $2.99 for a 10-pound bag of ice ($0.30/lb).
Here’s a list of gas stations that sell bags of ice:
7-Eleven, $0.30/lb
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7 lb, $2.69 — ($0.38/lb)
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10 lb, $2.99 — ($0.30/lb)
BP, $0.33/lb
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7 lb, $2.75 — ($0.39/lb)
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21 lb, $7 — ($0.33/lb)
Chevron, $0.86/lb
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7 lb. $5.99 — ($0.86/lb)
Circle K, $0.48/lb
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7 lb, $3.36 — ($0.48/lb)
Cumberland Farms, $0.64/lb
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5 lb, $3.19 — ($0.64/lb)
ExxonMobil, $0.37/lb
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8 lb, $2.99 — ($0.37/lb)
Family Express, $0.37/lb
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8 lb, $2.99 — ($0.37/lb)
Maverik, $0.35/lb
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10 lb, $3.49 — ($0.35/lb)
Royal Farms, $0.53/lb
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7 lb, $3.70 — ($0.53/lb)
Shell, $0.40/lb
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7 lb, $2.83 — ($0.40/lb)
Sunoco, $0.39/lb
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7 lb, $2.75 — ($0.39/lb)
Wawa, $0.47/lb
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7 lb, $3.29 — ($0.47/lb)
Where to Buy Ice: The Overall Top 10 Best Deals
Here's a list of the cheapest places to buy ice (one win per place). We listed 11 winners due to a few ties in their lowest price.
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Costco, 20 lb, $2.59 — ($0.13/lb)
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Sam’s Club, 20 lb, $2.98 — ($0.15/lb)
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Walmart, 10 lb, $2 — ($0.20/lb)
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Dollar General, 7 lb, $1.50 — ($0.21/lb)
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BJ’s Whole Foods, 20 lb, $4.49 — ($0.22/lb)
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Fred Meyer, 10 lb, $2.50 — ($0.25/lb)
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Giant Eagle, 20 lb, $4.99 — ($0.25/lb)
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Sonic Drive-In, 10 lb, $2.50 — ($0.25/lb)
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Walgreens, 10 lb, $2.49 — ($0.25/lb)
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Kroger, 20 lb, $5.49 — ($0.27/lb)
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ShopRite, 16 lb, $4.29 — ($0.27/lb)
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