The short answer
Here are the common sizes, from smallest to largest:
- Pint: 16 fluid ounces, or 2 cups.
- Quart: 32 fluid ounces, or 4 cups.
- 48 ounce tub: 48 fluid ounces, or 6 cups. That is 1.5 quarts.
- True half gallon: 64 fluid ounces, or 8 cups. That is 2 quarts.
- Gallon: 128 fluid ounces, or 16 cups.
- 3 gallon tub: 384 fluid ounces, or 48 cups. This is the shop size.
The chart above lists each size in fluid ounces, cups and liters. It also shows how many servings you get at three common scoop sizes and at the FDA label serving.
How many ounces in a half gallon of ice cream
A true half gallon holds 64 fluid ounces. That is 2 quarts, 8 cups, or about 1.89 liters.
Many brands now sell a 48 ounce tub in the spot where a half gallon used to sit. The carton is about the same shape, so it is easy to miss the difference.
The fix is simple. Read the ounces on the label before you buy. If it says 48 oz, you are getting 1.5 quarts, not 2.
Why is a half gallon of ice cream 48 ounces
Strictly speaking, it isn’t. A 48 ounce tub is a smaller package that took the half gallon’s place. Here is how that happened, as it was reported at the time.
A few years before 2008, the major makers cut their half gallons from 64 ounces to 56 ounces. The Fiscal Times, citing consumer writer Edgar Dworsky, placed that first cut “sometime around 2006.”
On May 12, 2008, Dworsky’s consumer site, MousePrint, reported that Breyers was introducing 48 ounce containers. That was a full 8 ounces less than the 56 ounce size, and it came at the same price. MousePrint reported that Edy’s was downsizing the same way.
The makers gave their reasons:
- Breyers told MousePrint the cut came from higher costs for ingredients, most of all fresh cream, and from manufacturing and transport costs as fuel prices rose.
- Edy’s said the quantity is clearly marked on the package and that there was no intent to deceive.
Pints changed too. The Fiscal Times reported that Haagen-Dazs cut its containers, which once held a pint, by 12.5% to 14 ounces.
Servings in a half gallon of ice cream
The number of servings depends on how big each scoop is. Scoops are sold by number, and a higher number means a smaller scoop.
For a true half gallon (64 ounces):
- #8 scoop (4 fl oz): 16 servings
- #12 scoop (2.67 fl oz): 24 servings
- #16 scoop (2 fl oz): 32 servings
- FDA label serving (2/3 cup): 12 servings
For a 48 ounce tub:
- #8 scoop: 12 servings
- #12 scoop: 18 servings
- #16 scoop: 24 servings
- FDA label serving: nine servings
That gap matters at a party. If you plan on a true half gallon and buy 48 ounce tubs, you lose a quarter of your scoops.
About the label serving
Since the 2016 label update, the FDA serving for ice cream is 2/3 cup. Before that it was 1/2 cup. So older advice about label servings may not match what you see on a carton today. A pint now holds three label servings, a quart holds six, and a gallon holds 24.
Planning for a party
Start with your guest count and the scoop you plan to use. A #12 scoop is a middle size.
A few examples using the #12 scoop:
- 20 guests, one scoop each: a true half gallon gives 24 scoops. A 48 ounce tub gives 18, so you would need two tubs.
- 40 guests, one scoop each: a gallon gives 48 scoops.
- 100 guests: a 3 gallon tub gives 144 scoops at this size.
If you expect seconds, or you are serving more than one flavor, buy extra.
The Scoop Planner turns your guest count and scoop size into the containers to buy. Its link sits just below the chart. The calculators run in your browser, and the numbers you type are not sent to our server. Your inputs are kept in the page address, so you can share a result by copying the link.
Comparing prices by the ounce
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks the average price of a half gallon (1.9 L) of prepackaged, regular ice cream. For the U.S. city average, that price was $5.93 in September 2026. It is a retail shelf price for regular ice cream, stated per half gallon.
This is where the 48 ounce tub catches people. If a 48 ounce tub sells for the same shelf price as a true half gallon, you pay a third more per ounce. The math is 64 divided by 48, which is about 1.33.
To compare fairly, look at the unit price on the shelf tag, or divide the price by the ounces yourself. Cost per Scoop prices a single scoop from any container, which helps when you are weighing a pint against a tub or a gallon.
For scoop shop owners: the 3 gallon tub
Scoop shops dip from 3 gallon cans set in a dipping cabinet. Each can holds 384 fluid ounces, which is 48 cups or about 11.36 liters.
That works out to:
- 96 scoops at #8
- 144 scoops at #12
- 192 scoops at #16
- 72 FDA label servings
Cabinet makers rate their cabinets by how many cans they hold. Master-Bilt, for example, rates its cabinets by the number of 9 1/2 inch, 3 gallon cans that fit.
For pricing your menu, Cost per Scoop takes the cost of a 3 gallon can and your scoop size and shows what each scoop costs you.
FAQ
Is a 48 ounce tub a half gallon?
No. A 48 ounce tub is 1.5 quarts. A true half gallon is 64 ounces, or 2 quarts. Many brands sell the 48 ounce size where the half gallon used to be, so check the label.
How many cups are in a gallon of ice cream?
A gallon holds 16 cups, or 128 fluid ounces. That is 24 FDA label servings of 2/3 cup.
How many scoops are in a 3 gallon tub?
At a #12 scoop (2.67 fl oz), a 3 gallon tub gives 144 scoops. At a #8 scoop it gives 96, and at a #16 scoop it gives 192.
How many servings are in a pint?
A pint holds three FDA label servings of 2/3 cup. With scoops, you get four at #8, six at #12, or eight at #16.
Why did the label serving size change?
The FDA raised the ice cream serving from 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup in its 2016 label update. That is why a carton today lists fewer servings than the same size did before.