Ice for Bars & Restaurants: A London Buyer’s Guide

For a bar, restaurant or café, running out of ice on a busy night costs sales. This guide covers what to buy, how much, and how to set up a reliable ice supply in London.

Which ice do you need?

• Ice cubes – for soft drinks, spirits and mixers, and for ice buckets.
• Crushed ice – for cocktails like mojitos and juleps, and for oyster, seafood and fruit displays.
• 2kg bags – handy for smaller venues or for reselling in shops.

How much ice does a venue use?

It depends on covers, drinks menu and the weather – a busy summer weekend can use several times what a quiet winter week does. Start with your current weekly usage, add a margin for hot days and events, and adjust after a few weeks.

Making buying ice easy

• Repeat delivery: set your order to repeat every week, every 2 weeks, every 4 weeks or monthly, so you never have to remember to reorder.
• Trade account: venues get preferential pricing, recurring deliveries and a personal account manager – apply for a trade account.
• Next-day delivery: order by 5pm, Monday to Saturday, morning or afternoon slot.
• Price: £10 per 12kg box, with free delivery across London from 5 boxes.

What to look for in an ice supplier

• Clear, hard ice in sealed bags.
• Reliable delivery slots so ice arrives before service.
• Easy reordering and a direct contact when you're short.

Nice Ice makes its ice at our own factory in Tottenham, N17, and delivers across London. Questions? WhatsApp 07574 927 847.

Open a trade account →