When a customer orders takeout or delivery, your packaging is the restaurant. It's the only part of your brand they see at home. Good takeout packaging keeps food hot, crisp and intact, and branded packaging reminds them where it came from next time they're hungry.

The takeout checklist

Boxes for mains

  • Burger boxes: hinged clamshells that keep burgers hot and in one piece. Choose a slider size and a full-burger size.
  • Folded takeout boxes: quick-fold paperboard boxes for sides, snacks and full meals.
  • Pizza boxes: if you do pizza, a printed lid is the biggest branding surface in your kitchen.

Sides and snacks

  • French fry boxes: the upright scoop shape keeps fries crisp and looks great in photos.
  • Paper food containers: poly-lined cups for fries, popcorn, chicken bites, salads and desserts, hot or cold.

Wraps and liners

  • Custom deli paper: oil- and water-resistant food-grade paper for wrapping sandwiches and burritos or lining baskets and trays. Printed liners make every basket look branded.

Drinks

  • Cups: paper cups for hot drinks, clear plastic cups for iced drinks and sodas.
  • Cup carriers: drivers and customers will thank you for these.

The finishing touches

  • Napkins: printed napkins are a small, low-cost way to put your logo on every table and every bag.
  • Bags: a sturdy flat-handle paper bag carries the whole order and advertises you on the way home.
  • Stickers or labels: seal bags for food safety and freshness, and mark orders with names.

How to prioritise if you're on a budget

You don't need to print everything at once. Start where customers look most:

  1. The item that's in every order. Usually the bag, the main box or the cup.
  2. The item that ends up in photos. Fry boxes, burger boxes and drink cups get shared online.
  3. Everything else. Use plain stock packaging with a branded sticker until volume grows.

A plain bag sealed with a printed sticker is a smart, low-cost first step.

Practical tips for takeout packaging

  • Match container to food. Fried food needs venting to stay crisp. Saucy dishes need grease resistance.
  • Test your delivery radius. Pack a meal, leave it for the length of your longest delivery, then check it.
  • Keep sizes few. Fewer sizes means simpler storage, faster packing and better pricing.
  • Think about the unboxing at home. A printed liner or a thank-you message turns delivery into a moment.

Design tips for food packaging

  • Your logo and name should be readable at a glance, including on delivery app photos.
  • Use your colours consistently across every box, cup and bag.
  • Add your website, Instagram or a QR code to your menu, so customers order direct next time.

The takeaway

Takeout packaging protects your food, carries your brand home and brings customers back. Start with the pieces in every order, keep sizes simple, and build a consistent look across boxes, cups and bags.