Which Ice Cube Shapes Are Best for Your Restaurant

Compare crescent cubes, nugget ice, flake ice, and more to find the right ice type for your beverages and operations

The shape of ice affects how quickly drinks cool, how fast ice melts, and how beverages taste. Crescent cubes offer superior liquid displacement and slow melting for mixed drinks. Nugget ice (also called Sonic ice or chewable ice) provides a soft, chewable texture popular with customers. Flake ice works best for food displays and seafood preservation. This guide covers each ice type, its ideal applications, and which ice machines produce each shape.

The ice in your drinks does more than keep beverages cold. Ice shape affects cooling speed, melt rate, flavor dilution, and even how full a glass looks. Choosing the right ice type for your operation can improve drink quality, reduce costs, and give customers a better experience.

Different ice shapes serve different purposes. Slow-melting cubes preserve the flavor of premium cocktails. Chewable nugget ice keeps customers coming back for refills. Flake ice protects delicate seafood in display cases. Understanding these differences helps you select ice machines that match your menu and service style.

Ice Type Comparison Chart

Crescent Cubes

Crescent cubes are the workhorses of the foodservice industry. Their distinctive half-moon shape is instantly recognizable and delivers performance that standard square cubes cannot match.

The crescent shape was engineered for beverage service. When ice drops into a glass, crescent cubes naturally curve against the sides rather than stacking on top of each other. This creates exceptional liquid displacement, making drinks appear fuller with less liquid. For operators, this translates directly to cost savings on every pour.

Why Crescent Cubes Excel

Superior displacement: The curved shape allows more ice to fit in a glass while leaving room for liquid to flow around each piece. Drinks look generously filled, and customers perceive more value.

Reduced splashing: When liquid is poured over crescent cubes, the curved surface directs the flow smoothly into the glass. This prevents splashing that wastes product and creates cleanup.

Slow, even melting: Crescent cubes are solid and dense, melting slowly to keep drinks cold without rapid dilution. The consistent shape means predictable performance across every glass.

Versatility: From fountain sodas to premium cocktails to ice-cold water service, crescent cubes perform well across nearly every beverage application.

Crescent Cube Best Uses

• Soft drinks and fountain beverages
• Mixed drinks and cocktails
• Water service
• Iced tea and iced coffee
• Beer troughs and bottle service (keeps bottles cold for tableside presentation)
• General restaurant beverage service

Crescent cubes are the signature ice shape of Hoshizaki ice machines. Their KMEdge evaporator technology produces clear, hard crescent cubes using a double-sided freezing process that creates ice in fewer cycles than traditional grid-cell machines.

Nugget Ice (Sonic Ice / Chewable Ice)

Nugget ice has developed a devoted following. Also called Sonic ice, pebble ice, pellet ice, or chewable ice, this soft, airy ice type has customers seeking out restaurants specifically because of the ice they serve.

The appeal of nugget ice goes beyond just texture. Its porous structure absorbs the flavors of whatever drink it's in, making sodas taste sweeter and cocktails more intense. For operators, nugget ice also means happy customers who linger longer, order refills, and remember the experience. There's a reason people drive out of their way for "that ice."

The Origin of "Sonic Ice"

Scotsman Ice Systems invented nugget ice in 1981, originally designing it for healthcare facilities. Doctors needed an ice that patients with swallowing difficulties could safely chew without risking tooth damage. The soft, compressed texture solved this problem.

Sonic Drive-In began using Scotsman nugget ice machines in the mid-1980s for their signature slushes and drinks. Customers loved the chewable ice so much that "Sonic ice" became a household term. People started buying bags of ice from Sonic locations just to take home. Today, the demand for nugget ice at home has created an entire category of residential chewable ice makers.

How Nugget Ice Is Made

Nugget ice is created by compressing flake ice into small, cylindrical pieces. This process creates air pockets within each nugget, giving the ice its signature soft, chewable texture. The ice absorbs the flavors of beverages, which is why drinks served over nugget ice taste more flavorful to many customers.

Chewable Ice Terminology by Brand

Different manufacturers use different names for similar chewable ice:

Hoshizaki's Cubelet ice is produced using a similar compression method but results in a slightly denser, firmer texture compared to Scotsman's softer nugget. Both are considered chewable ice, and most customers cannot tell the difference.

Nugget Ice Best Uses

• Soft drinks and fountain beverages
• Iced coffee and cold brew (the soft texture complements coffee drinks)
• Smoothies and blended drinks
• Healthcare facilities (safe for patients to chew)
• Convenience stores and quick-service restaurants
• Any operation where customers enjoy chewing ice

Why Customers Love Nugget Ice

• Soft texture: Easy to chew without hurting teeth
• Flavor absorption: Soaks up drink flavors for a more intense taste
• Quick cooling: Cools beverages rapidly due to high surface area
• Fun factor: Many people simply enjoy crunching on soft ice

Full Cube Ice

Full cube ice, also called dice ice or square cube ice, is the standard ice shape found in most commercial settings. These solid, uniform cubes provide reliable cooling with minimal dilution.

The uniform shape of full cubes makes them ideal for operations that bag and sell ice or need consistent performance across high-volume service. Their solid construction means they stack neatly in bins, transport without breaking apart, and look professional in any glass. For many restaurants, full cubes are the dependable default that just works.

Full Cube Characteristics

• Size: Approximately 7/8" x 7/8" x 7/8"
• Melt rate: Slow
• Ice-to-water ratio: Nearly 100% (solid ice, minimal air)
• Appearance: Clear, uniform cubes

Full Cube Best Uses

• Ice bagging for retail sale
• Spirits served on the rocks
• Cocktails where slow dilution matters
• Self-service dispensing
• Catering and events

Full cubes are the most versatile ice shape for general commercial use. Their solid construction means they last longer in drinks and hold up well during transport and storage.

Half Cube Ice

Half cubes offer a balance between cooling speed and melt rate. Smaller than full cubes but still solid, half cubes pack tightly into glasses and dispensers.

The compact size of half cubes makes them a favorite for self-service beverage stations and fountain drink systems. They flow easily through dispensers without jamming, fill cups quickly during rush periods, and cool drinks faster than larger cubes. For high-volume operations where speed matters, half cubes deliver efficiency without sacrificing quality.

Half Cube Characteristics

• Size: Approximately 7/8" x 7/8" x 3/8"
• Melt rate: Moderate
• Also known as: Half dice, small cube

Half Cube Best Uses

• Fountain beverages
• Blended drinks and smoothies
• Self-service dispensing (fits dispensers well)
• Mixed drinks where moderate dilution is acceptable
• High-volume operations where ice consumption is heavy

Half cubes are popular in quick-service restaurants, convenience stores, and anywhere drinks are dispensed quickly. The smaller size means faster cooling, which customers appreciate when they want an immediately cold drink.

Flake Ice

Flake ice is soft, snow-like ice used primarily for food display and preservation rather than beverages. Its unique properties make it essential for specific applications.

Unlike cube ice, flake ice molds to the shape of whatever it surrounds, creating a protective blanket that keeps products cold from every angle. This conforming quality makes it irreplaceable for delicate items like sushi-grade fish, fresh oysters, and produce that would bruise under the weight of hard cubes. The visual appeal of a bed of pristine flake ice also signals freshness to customers at first glance.

Flake Ice Characteristics

• Texture: Soft, moldable, snow-like
• Ice-to-water ratio: Approximately 73% (contains air pockets)
• Melt rate: Quick
• Temperature: Colder than cube ice at the point of production

Why Flake Ice Melts Quickly

Unlike solid cube ice, flake ice contains significant air between the ice crystals. This lower density means faster melting. For beverage service, this would water down drinks too quickly. But for food display and preservation, the rapid cooling and moldable texture are exactly what operators need.

Flake Ice Best Uses

• Sushi cases and sushi displays: The standard ice for sushi restaurants, keeping fish at safe temperatures while providing an attractive bed for presentation
• Seafood displays: Keeps fish, shellfish, oysters, and other seafood fresh and visually appealing at raw bars and fish counters
• Produce displays: Maintains freshness in salad bars and produce sections
• Food prep and kitchen use: Bakers use flake ice to keep dough cold, and kitchens use ice baths for blanching vegetables and chilling soups
• Meat packing: Protects meat during transport and storage
• Medical applications: Cold compresses that mold to the body without excessive pressure
• Blended drinks: Creates smooth texture in frozen margaritas, daiquiris, and smoothies

Flake ice is essential equipment for sushi restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, fish markets, buffets, and healthcare facilities. Restaurants with raw bars, oyster bars, or seafood displays rely on flake ice to keep product fresh and safe throughout service.

Gourmet Ice (Top Hat Ice)

Gourmet ice, also called top hat ice or octagon ice, is designed for upscale beverage service. Crystal-clear and elegantly shaped, these cubes elevate the presentation of premium drinks.

The crystal clarity of gourmet ice comes from a specialized freezing process that eliminates the cloudy center found in standard cubes. When a customer orders a $15 cocktail or a pour of aged whiskey, the ice should match the quality of what's in the glass. Gourmet ice makes that statement without saying a word, signaling attention to detail that justifies premium pricing.

Gourmet Ice Characteristics

• Size: Approximately 1 3/8" x 1 3/8" (cylindrical or octagonal)
• Melt rate: Slow
• Appearance: Crystal clear, no cloudiness
• Ice-to-water ratio: Nearly 100%

What Makes Gourmet Ice Different

Gourmet ice is frozen from the outside in, pushing air and impurities to the center where they are flushed away. This process creates perfectly clear ice without the cloudy center found in standard cubes. The result is ice that looks as premium as the spirits it accompanies.

Gourmet Ice Best Uses

• Premium whiskeys and bourbons
• High-end cocktails (Old Fashioneds, Manhattans)
• Upscale bar and lounge service
• Banquet and event catering
• Executive suites and VIP areas

Gourmet ice is typically found only in undercounter machines, limiting its availability to bars and beverage stations rather than high-volume production. The slower production rate is offset by the premium presentation value.

Square Cube Ice

Square cube ice represents the newest innovation in commercial ice production. These large, perfectly square cubes are designed specifically for craft cocktails and premium spirits.

The oversized dimensions of square cubes mean dramatically slower melting, which keeps drinks stronger for longer. Bartenders at craft cocktail establishments favor this ice because it gives guests time to savor their drink without rushing before dilution takes over. The bold, geometric look of a large square cube in an Old Fashioned glass has become a signature of serious cocktail programs.

Square Cube Characteristics

• Size: Approximately 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" x 1 1/4"
• Melt rate: Slowest of all cube types
• Appearance: Large, clear, uniform squares

Square Cube Best Uses

• Craft cocktail bars
• Whiskey and bourbon service
• Premium spirits on the rocks
• High-end restaurant bars
• Establishments focused on cocktail presentation

Hoshizaki's square cube ice machines (like the IM-500SAB) produce these large, impressive cubes that have become standard in craft cocktail programs. The extra-slow melt rate means drinks stay strong longer, and the visual impact of a large, clear cube adds perceived value to every pour.

Ice Type Availability by Machine Category

Not every ice type is available in every machine configuration. Use this chart to find which machine categories produce the ice type you need. Click any ice type name to shop that specific combination.

Browse All Ice Makers by Ice Type to explore the complete selection.

Choosing the Right Ice for Your Operation

For Bars and Cocktail Programs

Best choice: Crescent cubes or square cubes for mixed drinks; gourmet ice for premium spirits

Slow-melting ice preserves drink flavor and reduces dilution. The visual appeal of clear, well-shaped ice enhances perceived value. Many upscale bars use multiple ice types: gourmet cubes for whiskey service, crescent cubes for cocktails, and crushed or nugget ice for specific drinks like juleps.

For Quick-Service Restaurants

Best choice: Crescent cubes or half cubes for drinks; nugget ice if customers prefer chewable ice

High-volume operations need ice that dispenses easily, cools quickly, and provides good displacement. Crescent cubes and half cubes both work well in dispensers and fountain systems.

For Healthcare Facilities

Best choice: Nugget ice (chewable ice)

Nugget ice was originally designed for healthcare. The soft texture is safe for patients with swallowing difficulties, and the chewable format helps with hydration. Many hospitals and care facilities specifically request nugget ice machines.

For Sushi Restaurants and Seafood Display

Best choice: Flake ice

Flake ice is the industry standard for sushi cases and seafood displays. It molds around products, maintains safe temperatures, and creates an attractive presentation. Sushi restaurants, raw bars, oyster bars, and fish markets all rely on flake ice for food safety and visual appeal.

For Convenience Stores and Self-Service

Best choice: Half cubes or nugget ice

Smaller ice works better in dispensers and cups. Many convenience stores have discovered that nugget ice drives customer preference, with some locations becoming known specifically for their ice.

Related Guides

• Commercial Ice Machine Buying Guide - Complete guide to selecting commercial ice machines
• Undercounter Ice Machine Guide - Compact ice makers for bars and small spaces
• Hoshizaki Ice Machine Buying Guide - Brand guide for Hoshizaki ice equipment

Shop Ice Machines by Ice Type

Ready to find the right ice machine for your operation? Browse by ice type:

• Crescent Cube Ice Makers - Hoshizaki's signature slow-melting crescent cubes
• Nugget Ice Makers - Chewable ice machines from Scotsman, Manitowoc, and more
• Flake Ice Makers - Soft flake ice for displays and food preservation
• Gourmet Ice Makers - Crystal-clear top hat ice for premium service

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