Cardboard Food Packaging: Open Holders vs Closed Boxes
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Cardboard food packaging for fried and handheld food comes down to one choice: an open holder (chip box, cone, burger holder, open tray) when the food is eaten on the spot, or a closed box (snack box, dinner box, family pack, catering box) when it is carried away or shared. Pick by how your customer eats, then pick the board type and size.
Key takeaways
- Open holders suit food eaten within arm's reach of the counter: chips, cones of fried snacks, a burger at a market stall.
- Closed corrugated or kraft board boxes suit food that travels: home delivery, the drive home, the office lunch run.
- Shared orders need a larger closed format, such as a family pack or a catering box.
- Every item below is sold by the carton, and each product page shows the carton price and price per item.
- There is no minimum order, so you can trial an open holder and a closed box side by side.
When should I use an open cardboard holder?
Use an open holder when the customer eats straight away, standing up or at a nearby table. They are quick to fill and hand over.
The main open formats are:
- Chip boxes. The Serving Container – Chips Box Small (Carton of 1000) is cardboard, brown, 83x130x125mm, at $70.71 per carton or $0.07 each.
- Cones. The Serving Container – Cardboard Cone Large (Carton of 500) is brown cardboard, 256x190mm, at $69.11 per carton or $0.14 each.
- Burger holders. The Serving Container – Burger Holder Large (Carton of 1000) is brown cardboard, 70x110x60mm, at $91.21 per carton or $0.09 each. A holder wraps the lower half of a burger so it can be eaten in hand.
- Open trays. The Serving Container – Newsprint Open Tray 3 (Carton of 250) is corrugated in a newsprint colour, 180x135x45mm, at $42.86 per carton or $0.17 each.
When does fried food need a closed box?
Choose a closed box once the food leaves your counter. A lid covers the food in a bag, on a car seat or on a delivery rider's run, and closed boxes stack in a carry bag where open holders cannot.
Closed boxes come in two board types:
- Corrugated board, which has a fluted middle layer. The Corrugated Takeaway Container – Brown Snack Box Large Plain (Carton of 200) is 205x106x76mm at $40.66 per carton or $0.20 each. The Corrugated Takeaway Container – Brown Dinner Box Plain (Carton of 150) is 178x160x80mm at $51.15 per carton or $0.34 each.
- Kraft board, listed as cardboard rather than corrugated. The Kraft Takeaway Container – Snack Box Large Board (Carton of 250) has the same 205x106x76mm size as the corrugated snack box, in brown cardboard, at $37.12 per carton or $0.15 each.
The two snack boxes share a size; the choice is corrugated or kraft board.
What should I use for shared orders and catering?
For food that is shared, use a larger closed corrugated box sized for the whole table rather than several small ones.
The Corrugated Takeaway Container – White Family Pack Plain (Carton of 100) is white corrugated, 290x170x85mm, at $70.92 per carton or $0.71 each. It suits a family meal of fried chicken, chips and sides in one box.
The Takeaway Container – Corrugated Catering Box Large (Carton of 100) is corrugated in brown and white, 400x250x85mm, at $86.95 per carton or $0.87 each. It suits platters of sandwiches, wraps or finger food for office and event catering.
For cakes and slices, the Takeaway Container – Window Cake Box 8" (Carton of 100) is corrugated with PET, brown, 203.2x203.2x101.6mm, at $108.04 per carton or $1.08 each.
Where does the sandwich wedge fit?
The Takeaway Container – Sandwich Wedge (Carton of 500) sits between the two groups: it holds a cut sandwich for grab-and-go sales and is eaten soon after purchase. It is cardboard with PLA, in brown with clear, 122x72x122mm (see the product page for the current price).
It suits a display fridge or counter basket where customers pick up lunch to eat nearby or back at work.
How do the cardboard options compare on price?
| Product | Material | Size | Carton qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serving Container – Chips Box Small (Carton of 1000) | Cardboard | 83x130x125mm | 1000 |
| Serving Container – Burger Holder Large (Carton of 1000) | Cardboard | 70x110x60mm | 1000 |
| Serving Container – Cardboard Cone Large (Carton of 500) | Cardboard | 256x190mm | 500 |
| Serving Container – Newsprint Open Tray 3 (Carton of 250) | Corrugated | 180x135x45mm | 250 |
| Takeaway Container – Sandwich Wedge (Carton of 500) | Cardboard + PLA | 122x72x122mm | 500 |
| Kraft Takeaway Container – Snack Box Large Board (Carton of 250) | Cardboard | 205x106x76mm | 250 |
| Corrugated Takeaway Container – Brown Snack Box Large Plain (Carton of 200) | Corrugated | 205x106x76mm | 200 |
| Corrugated Takeaway Container – Brown Dinner Box Plain (Carton of 150) | Corrugated | 178x160x80mm | 150 |
| Corrugated Takeaway Container – White Family Pack Plain (Carton of 100) | Corrugated | 290x170x85mm | 100 |
| Takeaway Container – Corrugated Catering Box Large (Carton of 100) | Corrugated | 400x250x85mm | 100 |
Which one should I buy?
Match the format to how the food leaves your hands:
- Fish and chip shops and food trucks serving at the window: the Serving Container – Chips Box Small (Carton of 1000) for chips, plus the Serving Container – Newsprint Open Tray 3 (Carton of 250) for mixed serves eaten at a table.
- Market stalls and events: the Serving Container – Cardboard Cone Large (Carton of 500) for one-hand snacking while walking.
- Burger bars with dine-in seating: the Serving Container – Burger Holder Large (Carton of 1000).
- Takeaway shops doing pick-up and delivery: the Corrugated Takeaway Container – Brown Dinner Box Plain (Carton of 150) for a meal with sides.
- Chicken shops selling family meals: the Corrugated Takeaway Container – White Family Pack Plain (Carton of 100).
- Caterers and cafés taking office orders: the Takeaway Container – Corrugated Catering Box Large (Carton of 100) for platters and the Takeaway Container – Sandwich Wedge (Carton of 500) for single lunches.
Custom printing with your logo is available on selected products, including the chip boxes, cones, burger holders and corrugated boxes above; see custom print. For more formats, browse all takeaway containers. If you are working out carton quantities across a full range, read buying takeaway containers in bulk, and for smaller serves see small takeaway containers.
How does ordering work?
There is no minimum order, so you can buy a single carton of each format to test. 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 time is 3–5 business days to capital cities and 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 reorder your regular lines quickly, use quick order.
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