Near the checkout area of many grocery stores and outside of countless gas stations, there are big freezers selling ice.
These freezers cater to those who either don’t have ice makers at home, those who go through a lot of ice, or those planning to fill a big container like a cooler with ice.
However, some may wonder how that ice gets there in the first place. Now, a user on TiKTok has gone viral after sharing the surprising answer.
How does ice get into the ice machines?
In a video with over 1.5 million views, TikTok user @universaltruths7 shows a Reddy Ice machine.
“I was today years old when I found out that these regular ice machines were not regular,” she starts.
As the video progresses, she shows that the ice freezer not only contains bagged ice, but the machine makes it as well. On the top of the ice machine, cubes are placed into a plastic bag. Then, the bag is sealed and put on a small conveyor belt, at which point it is deposited onto the pile of other bags of ice.
“All this time I thought there was some man in a truck delivering ice,” the TikToker states.
“This blew my mind,” she adds. “I’m decades old, and this is the first time I’ve seen this.”
Does every ice machine do this?
Not every ice machine produces its own ice.
On the Reddy Ice website, the company notes that it provides several kinds of ice service for its customers. The first involves delivering bags of ice to the businesses with the freezer. Another is the product shown off by the TikToker, which the company calls “The Ice Factory™.”
“The Ice Factory™ houses a continuous ice-making and bagging process from start to finish, right inside your store,” the website reads. “The system conveniently produces, packages, and merchandises ice on site with the same Reddy Ice standards and quality you and your customer rely on.”
While Reddy Ice stresses its commitment to quality and cleanliness, internet users are still wary of getting ice while out and about. Many advise others to avoid ice machines in restaurants and resorts.
@universaltruths7 I did not know this 😬
♬ original sound – universaltruths7
‘They’re not all like this.’
In the comments section, users shared their thoughts on the device shown in the TikToker’s video.
“They’re not all like this. Some do have a guy in a truck delivering bags of ice,” wrote a user.
“There is some man who delivers the ice. Those new machines are not everywhere,” echoed another.
“I learned the hard way and reached in to grab one and it fell on me,” shared a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to Reddy Ice via website contact form and @universaltruths7 via TikTok DM and comment.
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