How to choose custom food boxes
Food boxes have to keep grease, steam and moisture in check and still look good on a counter or in a delivery bag. Start with the food: hot or cold, greasy or dry, eaten from the box or taken home.
Sizes and styles
Clamshell boxes and burger boxes suit hot food served to go. Fries boxes are open-top scoops. Window food boxes show baked goods and treats, and frozen food boxes need board and coatings that handle condensation.
Materials
Paperboard suits dry and lightly greasy food. Corrugated keeps hot food warm and stays rigid. Kraft gives a natural look for delis and bakeries. For food that touches the box directly, we specify food-safe board and grease-resistant coatings and can request the supplier documentation for your materials.
Finishes that work best
Grease-resistant and moisture-resistant coatings matter more than decorative finishes here. Aqueous coating is a common choice. Keep inks and coatings on the outside of the box unless the material is specified for direct food contact.
Pricing drivers
Board type, coatings, windows, size and quantity drive cost. Restaurants that reorder often save by standardising on a few sizes.
Before you order
- Test with the real food. Put a hot, freshly made portion in a sample box and leave it for the time a delivery takes. Grease, steam and weight show problems quickly.
- Check the box closes with food inside. Overfilled boxes pop open in delivery bags. Size for a generous portion, not an average one.
- Ask for material documentation. If the food touches the box, request the supplier documentation for the board and coating and check it against your own food-safety requirements.
- Plan storage space. Food businesses use boxes fast but often have little storage. Folding styles ship flat and take far less room than pre-assembled ones.
- Standardise sizes. A few sizes that fit most of the menu reorder faster and cost less than a box for every item.
Minimum order and lead time
Most styles start at 100 units; some specialty styles have a higher minimum, shown on each product page. Production takes 7–10 business days after you approve the digital proof, and US shipping adds 5–7 business days. Rush production in 5–7 business days is available for an additional fee. Every quote includes a free 3D design and dieline, so you can check the structure before you order.
Read how to choose custom food packaging and food packaging requirements.
