Sizing an ice bin for 200 covers an hour

Ice is a throughput problem

A bar serving 200 covers an hour will move 15–25 kg of ice in that hour depending on the beverage programme. A bin sized by cabinet volume rather than by demand will empty by the second service and refill with meltwater, which then floods the floor.

Melt rate is the hidden specification

Insulated bins with a cold plate hold ice for hours; an uninsulated bin loses most of its load in a single service. Specify insulation thickness and lid discipline, not just capacity in litres.

The drain decides the outcome

A 40 mm waste with correct fall handles a draining bin. A 32 mm waste with a shallow fall clogs with garnish within weeks. Where the fall cannot be achieved, specify a pump — but design it in, not as a site fix.

A workable rule

Size the bin for 1.5 times peak hourly demand, insulate it, and give it a drain you can rod from the front. That combination fails far less often than a bigger bin with a poor drain.