It seems to be an American thing, we consume ice in massive quantities. Most of the rest of the world does not ice their drinks, except at franchises of American food service businesses.
Ice can make enough ice to serve my needs with one try in the absorption fridge, but it is just me and I don't use much. If you want more, you can juggle more trays, or try to find an ice maker that keeps up with your needs.
I suspect most of the people buying ice are using for secondary cooling, beyond the capcity of their refrigerators. Chilling beverages in coolers most likely.