PSA: You Can Buy Ice from Fast Food Places

As a bounty hunter and professional caterer on Arrested Development once said, “you can’t have a party without ice.” And if there’s any business you should look to for guidance when it comes to picking ice for your next classy affair, it’s probably a fast food chain that goes through bags and bags of the stuff every day.

Luckily, some of those same fast food joints can help plan your next party by selling you some of the very same ice they use for a pretty low price. According to some information from Lifehacker, it’s entirely possible in certain establishments to walk up to the counter, order a bag of ice, and moe on (hopefully) without any weird looks from the staff.

From the sound of it, you can grab cheap bags of ice from McDonald’s, Arby’s (“we have the frozen water!”), Burger King, and Dunkin’. In most cases, the bag will run you no more than a dollar or two depending on how big their bags of ice are.

Watch: ICYMI: This Machine Makes Zaxby's-Level Ice in Your Very Own Kitchen

But why settle for any old ice when you can buy a big ol’ bag of “ice nuggets” from Sonic, everyone’s favorite drive-in chain. Ice aficionados say its texture is unparalleled, allowing for a satisfying crunch without feeling like you’re chewing through a glacier. If you ask nicely, Sonic will sell you a ten-pound bag of that ice for $1.99 plus tax. That’s a hell of a deal for a large quantity of ice that anyone who’s actually been to a Sonic seems to rave about.

Of course, ice prices and participation may vary, as the old adage goes. So you may want to check ahead of time so you don’t pull up to Sonic (or McDonald’s) asking for ice only to slink away in shame when they have none to offer you. It might seem silly to go through the extra trouble to buy a bag of ice, but offering your guests the chance to munch on some of that crunchy Sonic ice is sure to score you some points.