Bulk Paper Bags for Hospitality: A Mix for Each Venue

Bulk paper bags for hospitality venues come down to three families: flat 2WB bags for small single items, SOS bags (self-opening, flat-bottomed) in a run of sizes for counter takeaway, and handle bags (twisted, flat or die cut) for larger orders carried away by hand. A café, a takeaway shop, a caterer and a food truck each lean on a different mix of those three, so the starter list below is organised by venue rather than by bag.

Key takeaways

• A café mostly needs a flat bag and one or two small SOS sizes; the Kraft Bag – 2WB Flat (Carton of 500) is $0.02 each.
• A takeaway shop runs a ladder of SOS sizes plus one handle bag for multi-item orders.
• Caterers lean towards the larger SOS sizes and the bigger handle bags for boxed and trayed orders.
• A food truck has the least storage, so it suits a short list: one small SOS, one medium SOS and one handle bag.
• Every bag here is sold by the carton, and each product page shows the carton price and price per item.

Why does each hospitality venue need a different bag mix?

Because the bag follows the order. A café hands over a pastry or a toastie, a takeaway shop packs anything from a single serve to a family order, a caterer moves whole trays and boxes, and a food truck serves one or two items at a time from a tight space.

Matching the mix to your order pattern means you are not storing cartons of a size you rarely reach for, and staff reach for the same few bags each shift. The three families do different jobs:

• Flat 2WB bags are flat paper bags without a gusset, suited to a single flat or small item.
• SOS bags open into a square, flat base and stand upright, which makes them easy to fill at the counter and stack containers into.
• Handle bags add a carry handle for bigger or heavier orders that customers walk away with.

What paper bags does a café keep on hand?

A café's core bag is a small one. The Kraft Bag – 2WB Flat (Carton of 500) is brown paper, 200x200mm, at $9.05 per carton or $0.02 each, and suits a single pastry, cookie or slice.

For a toastie, a couple of baked goods or a small container, add a compact SOS bag. The No.6 Bag – Brown SOS (Carton of 2000) is 150x90x270mm in virgin paper, $111.64 per carton or $0.06 each. If your café also sells a few multi-item orders, the No.8 Bag – Brown SOS (Carton of 1000) at 157x100x310mm ($73.80 per carton, $0.06 each) gives you a step up without jumping to a large bag.

If white suits your counter better than brown, the No.4 and No.6 SOS sizes also come in white.

What does a takeaway shop need?

A takeaway shop needs a ladder of SOS sizes so the bag fits the order, plus one handle bag for the biggest orders. A practical ladder from the ledger is the No.8 for single meals, the No.12 Bag – White SOS (Carton of 1000) for bigger meals, and the No.16 Bag – Brown SOS (Carton of 250) for larger orders.

The No.12 white is 178x112x330mm (see the product page for the current price). The No.16 brown is 240x120x390mm (see the product page for the current price). For family orders or several boxes stacked together, a handle bag is easier for the customer to carry; the Kraft Bag – Brown Die Cut Handle (Carton of 500) is 275x280x150mm in virgin paper at $112.73 per carton, or $0.23 each.

What does a caterer need?

A caterer needs the larger end of the range, because orders are boxed or trayed and carried to a vehicle or a client's venue.

The No.16 SOS covers mid-sized drop-offs, and the No.20 Bag – Brown SOS (Carton of 250) (305x175x430mm, $53.54 per carton, $0.21 each) and No.25 Bag – Brown SOS (Carton of 100) (540x360x165mm, $34.36 per carton, $0.34 each) are the bigger SOS options in the range. For carry bags, the Kraft Bag – Brown Twisted Handle Takeaway Medium (Carton of 250) is 305x305x175mm in recycled paper at $49.25 per carton, or $0.20 each. The Kraft Bag – Brown Takeaway Twisted Handle (Carton of 150) is wider at 320x350x225mm, at $59.84 per carton or $0.40 each.

What does a food truck need?

A food truck needs the shortest list, because storage is tight: one small SOS, one medium SOS and one handle bag.

The No.6 or No.8 SOS handles single serves, the No.12 covers a larger meal, and the Kraft Bag – Brown Flat Handle Medium (Carton of 200) gives you a handle option in a smaller carton. It is 320x345x150mm in recycled paper (see the product page for the current price).

How do the bags compare?

Which one should I buy?

Start from your venue and pick two or three bags, not the whole range:

• Café: the Kraft Bag – 2WB Flat (Carton of 500) for single items and the No.6 Bag – Brown SOS (Carton of 2000) for small orders.
• Takeaway shop: the No.8 Bag – Brown SOS (Carton of 1000), the No.12 Bag – White SOS (Carton of 1000) and the Kraft Bag – Brown Die Cut Handle (Carton of 500) for big orders.
• Caterer: the No.16 Bag – Brown SOS (Carton of 250) and the Kraft Bag – Brown Twisted Handle Takeaway Medium (Carton of 250), adding the No.20 or No.25 SOS for larger drop-offs.
• Food truck: the No.8 SOS, the No.12 SOS and the Kraft Bag – Brown Flat Handle Medium (Carton of 200).

Want your logo on the bag? Custom printing with your logo is available on selected products (see custom print); in this range that includes the flat 2WB bag and the SOS sizes. For more on sizing across bakery, takeaway and retail, see Paper Bags Wholesale: Bakery, Takeaway & Retail Sizes, and for branding options read Printed Paper Bags. The full range is on the bags page.

Ordering

There is no minimum order, so you can buy one carton of each bag in your mix and adjust later. Delivery is a flat fee set by your postcode, and free once an order passes a set amount; checkout shows the exact cost, and today's rates are on the shipping page. Delivery takes 3–5 business days to capital cities, 4–6 business days regional. All orders are prepaid online. Damaged or faulty items are replaced or refunded free; unopened stock cartons can be returned within 7 days of delivery (10% restocking fee, return delivery at your cost). To order several bags at once, use quick order.

See also: paper bag size chart: every paper bag we stock with its size and price per bag.

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No minimum order · free delivery over $750 (metro) / $1000 (regional) · damaged items replaced free · Delivery details