Custom Fries Cone Holders

Getting Portion Sizes Right

Cone size is about portion control as much as looks. A small cone for a side of chips, a regular for a main portion and a large for sharing is the usual split. Measure how much your scoop holds, then pick the cone that is filled to just below the rim with that scoop. An overfilled cone spills; an underfilled one looks stingy.

For card holders, think about the width of the opening as well as the height. Chunky chips and loaded toppings need a wider mouth than skinny fries. If you serve dips, a holder with a built-in pocket or a side slot for a sauce pot keeps sauces close without balancing them on top of the chips.

If you are unsure, tell us your scoop sizes and portions and we will suggest the cone sizes to quote, so you are not guessing before committing to a print run. The portion test is the same approach as in our guide to measuring for packaging.

Greaseproof Paper and Board Options

Hot, salted, oily chips are hard on packaging. Paper cones are made from greaseproof paper or paper with a grease-resistant coating, which stops oil soaking through to the hand within the time it takes to eat. Card holders use folding boxboard, often with a coated inside or a liner, so the board keeps its stiffness.

Food-contact grade paper and board are available on request; tell us what you serve and we confirm the right material in your custom quote. The grease-resistant grades are the ones used on our fish and chip paper for wrapped suppers.

Designing Printed Fries Cone Holders

Cones are seen from every angle, so a repeating pattern with the logo appearing more than once works better than a single central logo that ends up on the seam. Bold colours and simple shapes print cleanly on greaseproof paper; fine detail and tiny text are best avoided because the paper's texture softens them slightly.

Card holders give you a larger, flatter front panel, which suits a big logo, a slogan or a menu prompt such as your signature sauce. If you trade at different events, keep the event names off the cone and use one design all year so a single print run lasts.

Many traders match cones to their burger wraps and napkins so the whole order looks like it belongs together. If you already have printed food papers, send them over and we will match the colours on the proof. Burger stalls match the cone pattern to their burger wrapping paper in the same print.

Running a Cone Station on a Busy Day

The packaging only speeds up service if the station around it is set up well. Most traders use a simple cone rack or a box with holes cut in the top, placed right beside the fryer, so a cone can be filled one-handed while the other hand works the scoop. Keep a short stack of cones within reach and the rest boxed under the counter, away from steam and splashes, so they do not soften before use.

Seasoning is easiest when the cone is in the rack. Salt and shake before lifting it out, and the seasoning spreads through the chips rather than sitting on the top layer. If you offer loaded fries, fill the card holder about two thirds with chips, add toppings, then a final handful of chips so the sauce does not run straight to the bottom.

Think about the bin, too. Cones are compact once crushed, but a stall at a festival can still produce a mountain of them. A printed line on the holder asking customers to use the bins does no harm, and some events now ask traders to show they have considered litter.

Finally, count cones at the end of each day. A quick tally against takings tells you which sizes really sell and helps you order the right mix for the next event. The free proof shown rolled and flat confirms where the seam falls against the logo.

Scoop a Portion Into a Cone Before Choosing the Height

Cone size is portion size, so settle it with a scoop rather than a ruler. Fill a plain cone of each candidate size straight from the fryer basket the way your staff will on the day, weigh it, and see which height gives the portion you want to sell at each price. A cone that is too tall looks half empty; too short and chips spill on the rack. Then decide on a paper cone, a card holder or both, since loaded fries with sauce need the card holder and a liner. Count the cone rack slots so the first order matches your stand. Traders who serve fish and chips alongside use the printed food basket liners in matching paper.

Prepare a repeating pattern for cones and a flat front panel for holders. Email the formats, sizes, quantity per size and artwork and a custom quote comes back within one working day, followed by a free design proof. Cones and holders are made in 4 to 7 working days once approved and delivered free and tracked on the UK mainland in 2 to 3 days. Cones that arrive crushed or misprinted are reprinted or refunded when reported within 10 days.