Sizing the Best Ice Maker for Your Business
If you’re wondering what size ice machine you need, you’re not alone. The amount of ice each industry needs is different, so The Ice Machine Experts at Easy Ice have created a list of typical ice needs for specific industries. By following this list, you can get a good estimate of the amount of ice you need to choose the best ice maker. Keep in mind, this is a midrange calculation and your specific ice needs may vary.
Healthcare
Hospitals and healthcare clinics typically need the most ice per person. You can measure your ice needs by taking the amount of ice a patient needs daily (10 lbs. per bed) and multiply it be the number of beds you have on your floor. Don’t forget to account for your visitors and staff.
Restaurants and Bars
To the right you’ll find the general amount of ice you need per customer, but it’s also important to consider how much ice you use outside of drinks. Ice is also used to prep food or shock vegetables. If you know your kitchen uses ice, factor that into your total ice usage. What about beer tubs during game days? Again, ice is used in a lot of areas when it comes to restaurants and bars. Don’t short yourself.
Convenience Stores
Convenience stores need to think about the volume of fountain drinks per day. Running out of ice can end up hurting your establishment. We are available to help you calculate the amount you need for your specific location, so you can find the best ice makers to install on top of your soda dispensers.
Once you calculate what size ice machine you need, there are several other things to take into consideration as well. We’ve developed this handy commercial ice machine guide to answer all of your questions!
Approximate Daily Use
Hotel | 5 lbs. Per guest |
Hospital | 10 lbs. Per bed |
Restaurant | 1.5 lbs. Per customer |
Bar/Cocktail | 3 lbs. Per customer |
Cafeteria | 1 lb. Per customer |
Quick Serve Restaurant | 5 oz. Per 7-10 oz. drink 8 oz. Per 12-16 oz. drink 12 oz. Per 18-24 oz. drink |
Seafood/Deli Counter and Display | 30 lbs. of ice per cubic foot |
Convenience Store | 6 oz. Per 12 oz. drink 10 oz. Per 20 oz. drink 16 oz. Per 32 oz. drink |
Let Us Size the Perfect Hoshizaki Ice Machine
Sizing a unit can be a complicated process, but our team of industry experts are on hand to help you figure out what size ice machine you need.