Custom Catering Boxes

Strength for Heavy, Full Platters

A loaded platter of sandwiches, wraps and fruit can be surprisingly heavy, and catering boxes are often carried across car parks and up stairs. Folding boxboard suits smaller boxes and individual lunches, but larger platters are usually made from corrugated board, which resists bending and keeps the base flat when lifted from one side.

Lock-corner construction, where the corners fold and lock without glue, adds rigidity. For very large platters, handle holes or a built-in carry handle make lifting easier and safer. If your platters regularly travel in a van, consider boxes made to stack, with a lid that locks onto the box below. The flute grades that take a stacked load are described in the board and card types guide.

Keeping Food Fresh and Grease Off the Print

Sandwiches with mayonnaise, pastries with butter and fried snacks all release oils that soak into uncoated board. A grease-resistant inner coating keeps the board firm and stops stains from showing through to the outside. Food-contact grade board is available on request for food placed directly on the base, and many caterers also use a paper liner or doily for presentation.

Windows in the lid let the client see what is inside before opening, and help delivery drivers check orders. For chilled food, a slightly heavier board resists the softening effect of a cold, humid fridge or cool box.

Labelling helps too. A small sticker on the lid naming the client, the delivery time and any dietary notes such as vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free platters saves confusion when several orders go to the same building. Some caterers print a blank panel on the lid specifically for this, so the information is always in the same place. Grease-resistant coatings and their limits are explained on the custom food boxes with coated board page.

Sizing Catering Boxes Around Your Menu

Think in terms of what each box holds. A small platter might hold sandwiches for four to six people, a medium platter eight to ten and a large platter twelve or more. Measure the trays or serving arrangement you use in your kitchen and work out the inside dimensions from there, allowing enough height for wraps, rolls and garnishes so the lid does not press on them.

Keeping to a few standard sizes makes ordering and storage simpler. Many caterers use one shallow size for sandwiches, one deeper size for pastries and cakes, and an individual lunch box, all with the same printed design. Our measuring guide for custom boxes helps with sizing a box around a tray.

Branding That Travels Into the Meeting Room

Catering boxes are seen by everyone in the room, often by people who might order lunch for their own team next week. Your logo on the lid, your phone number and web address on the side, and a short line about what you do help turn a single order into repeat business.

Simple, clean designs suit corporate settings. A single brand colour with a white or kraft background looks professional and keeps the eye on the food when the lid is removed. Printing a menu panel or a space for a handwritten list of contents helps attendees with allergies and dietary requirements see what is inside before they take anything.

Some caterers add a thank-you card inside the lid with a reorder link or a discount for the next booking. It is a small step that reminds the client who supplied the lunch at the exact moment everyone is enjoying it. A full-colour lid against a kraft body is compared in the print and finish options guide.

Load a Platter Before You Choose the Board

Catering boxes are carried full, often up a flight of stairs, so the question that matters is how heavy a loaded platter is. Make up your largest platter on a tray, weigh it, and note whether it goes in a van and stacks or is carried by hand. Under two kilograms a folding boxboard tray with a lid is fine; above that, or for anything stacked in a van, E-flute corrugated with a locking lid is the safer choice. Tell us the platter sizes, the weight and whether individual lunch boxes are needed, and we match the board to each size.

A custom quote comes by email within one working day, with smaller boxes from £0.25 and larger corrugated platters priced to size; minimums are quoted per job. The free proof shows the lid, sides and any windows. Boxes are made within 4 to 7 working days of approval and delivered free on a tracked UK mainland service in 2 to 3 working days, and any that arrive misprinted or damaged are reprinted or refunded if reported within 10 days. Hot sides that travel with the platters go in the leak-resistant noodle boxes for hot food.