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No Longer a Commodity, Ice is a Choice.

Executive Summary:

This comprehensive report explores the emerging significance of ice as a strategic choice in the quick/limited service restaurant (QSR) sector. The findings underscore the economic impact of offering varied ice types, revealing a potential value of $75,000 for the average QSR.

Key Findings

  1. Consumers have strong ice preferences:

    • Preferences exist: 88% of customers have a specific preferred ice type.

    • Preferences are diverse: No single type of ice is favored by more than 40% of customers.

    • Customer Satisfaction: Failure to meet ice preferences can lead to customer dissatisfaction.​​

  2. Consumers demonstrate purchase-driven ice behavior:

    • Will Buy: 50% of customers have bought food at one restaurant and their drink at another due to ice preferences. 42% are willing to pay more for a drink with preferred ice.

    • Will Visit: 60% of customers have chosen a restaurant based on its ice offerings.  47% say they would visit more if ice was an option.

    • Will travel: 72% of customers are willing to extend their travel time to obtain a drink with their preferred ice type.​​

  3. A strategic opportunity:

    • Happier customers: A restaurant that offers multiple types of ice can expect an increase in Happier customers

    • Profitable growth

      1. Revenue increase from 1% to over 5%

      2. Profit increase from 1.5% to over 9%

  4. Innovation in ice:

    • The Rockhopper Ice Engine is a significant advancement in ice machine technology

    • Establishments can create and store up to four different types of ice

      • Ices loved today: solid cube ice, chewy nugget ice, flake ice

      • Iconic ices of tomorrow: Branded proprietary ice types.​​​

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