Custom Takeaway Paper Bags for Restaurants

Matching Bag Size to Your Containers

The right size depends on your packaging. Lay out a typical order, the boxes, cartons and cups for one person and then for two or three people, and measure the footprint. The bag base should take those containers side by side with a little room to spare, and the height should be enough that the top folds over or the handles meet above the tallest container.

Most restaurants need two or three bag sizes: a small for a single meal or a side order, a medium for a meal for two and a large for family orders. Pizza restaurants need a wider, flatter bag that takes a pizza box flat, and sushi restaurants often need a bag that keeps trays level. Send us your container sizes and we will suggest the base dimensions. Our step-by-step product measuring guide explains how to take those sizes.

Drinks deserve their own thought. Cups in a carrier tray take up more base space than people expect, and a bag that is too narrow forces staff to wedge the tray at an angle. If most orders include drinks, size the medium bag to take a two-cup carrier alongside a meal box.

Height matters for riders too. A bag that is taller than the thermal backpack gets folded over, which can crush the top container, so check your riders’ bag depth before settling on the tallest size.

Grease, Heat and Condensation

Hot food creates two problems for paper bags: grease and steam. Grease from fried food can wick through containers and mark the bag, and steam from hot dishes condenses on the inside, softening the paper. A grease-resistant paper reduces visible marks, and a slightly heavier paper weight copes better with damp.

For orders with soup or saucy dishes, make sure containers are sealed and stand upright in the bag. A wide base helps, and so does a simple card insert that divides the base into sections for drinks and food. Food-contact grade paper is available on request, though in most takeaway use the food is already inside its own container.

Printing That Works on Brown Kraft

Kraft bags have a natural brown surface that suits bold, simple print. One or two strong colours, such as black, white, red or a deep brand colour, look striking on kraft and keep costs down. Full-colour print is possible, especially on white kraft, but photographs of food tend to look duller on paper bags than on glossy menus.

Most restaurants put the logo large on both faces and add a phone number, web address or social handle on the gusset. Some print a short message such as a thank-you or a hint to order again.

A design that repeats round the bag, such as a pattern or a band of colour, looks good from any angle as the bag swings from a hand, whereas a single small logo can end up facing the wrong way. The same artwork can then run onto your custom printed food boxes so the order looks matched.

Stapling, Sealing and Tamper Evidence

Delivery platforms and customers increasingly expect a sealed bag, so they know nobody has opened the order on the way. A printed sticker seal across the folded top, or a branded stapled receipt, shows the bag has not been opened. We can supply sticker seals in your brand colours alongside the bags. Seal designs can be chosen from our printed labels and stickers range.

If your bags carry a printed order area, staff can tick or write the order number or customer name, which saves confusion when several riders are waiting at the counter.

Allergen stickers are another useful addition. A small printed sticker that staff can tick to show an order has been prepared to an allergy request gives customers reassurance the moment the bag arrives.

Ordering Bags for a Busy Kitchen

Takeaway bags are used quickly, so order enough to cover several weeks and keep a buffer for busy weekends and events. Store them flat in a dry place away from the kitchen, as steam and heat can soften paper before it is used. Once you know your weekly use, regular reorders keep stock steady.

Give us your container sizes, the bag sizes you need, quantities and your logo, and you will have a custom quote within one working day. A free design proof follows, and production runs 4 to 7 working days after you approve it, with free tracked delivery to anywhere on the UK mainland. Low minimums are quoted per job, so new takeaways and pop-ups are welcome. If a delivery arrives with misprinted or damaged bags, report it within 10 days and those bags will be reprinted or refunded.

Pop-ups and food trucks without much storage often prefer a single medium bag size that suits most orders, adding a larger size only once demand is clear.