Food Packaging Labels? Tell Orders Apart by Pack Shape

Packery does not stock food packaging labels or stickers. What we do stock is a range of containers in clearly different shapes, so many kitchens skip the label roll altogether and give each dish its own pack that staff can spot at the pass.

Key takeaways

• Packery sells containers, not labels or stickers.
• A distinct pack shape per dish lets the pass, the runner and the customer tell orders apart at a glance.
• The Serving Container – Taco Holder (Carton of 1000), Serving Container – Chips Box Small (Carton of 1000) and Corrugated Takeaway Container – Brown Snack Box Large Plain (Carton of 200) each look different from across the bench.
• Every product page shows the carton price and the price per item, and there is no minimum order.

Does Packery sell food packaging labels?

No. Packery does not sell labels, stickers or label printers, and this guide will not point you to any. If you came here for a label roll, the rest of this page covers a different approach: choosing containers so the pack itself tells everyone what is inside.

That approach suits busy takeaway kitchens, food trucks and caterers where a sticker gets missed, smudged or stuck on the wrong box during a rush. When a taco only ever goes into a taco holder and chips only ever go into a chips box, there is nothing to read and nothing to peel.

How can a kitchen tell orders apart without labels?

Give every menu item a pack with its own shape, size or colour, and keep that rule fixed. Staff at the pass learn the shapes quickly, and runners can match a pack to a docket line without opening a lid.

A simple way to set this up:

• List your menu items and group the ones that already look the same when boxed.
• Assign one pack per item from shapes that do not overlap: an open holder, an upright chips box, a hinged snack box, a deep lunch box, a small bowl, a flat pizza box, a long catering tray.
• Put a photo of each dish next to its pack on the pass so new staff learn the system quickly.
• Stock the packs in the same order as they appear on your docket screen.

The aim is that two different dishes never leave in identical containers.

Which container shapes are easiest to tell apart at the pass?

The shapes that work best are the ones that differ in outline, not just size. Here are the options from the range, all priced by the carton.

The taco holder and the chips box are open serving shapes, so the food stays visible. The snack box and lunch box close, but their footprints differ, so they are hard to confuse on a crowded bench. The pizza box is flat and wide, and the catering tray is long with high sides.

Can one container shape cover more than one dish?

It can, but only if something else separates the dishes. If two items share the same box, the docket and the runner have to do the work a label would have done, and that is where mix-ups start.

When you can, give the higher-volume dishes their own shape first. Side dishes and small serves suit the 4oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Bowl (Carton of 1000), which reads as "small side" at a glance next to a main in a lunch box. For more ideas on sizing smaller serves, see our guide to small takeaway containers.

Can I put my logo on the pack instead of a sticker?

Custom printing with your logo is available on selected products (see custom print). Each of the containers in the table above is marked as available for custom print on its product page.

A printed pack brands the order without a separate sticker step at the pass. It does not replace a docket for telling orders apart, so keep the one-shape-per-dish rule even on printed packs.

Which one should I buy?

Match the pack to how the dish is served and how your venue runs:

• Taco or street-food stalls: the Serving Container – Taco Holder (Carton of 1000) holds tacos in an open shape that looks unlike anything else on the pass.
• Fish and chip shops and burger bars: use the Serving Container – Chips Box Small (Carton of 1000) for chips, and the Corrugated Takeaway Container – Brown Snack Box Large Plain (Carton of 200) for burgers or snack packs, so the two never get swapped.
• Cafés and lunch bars with hot mains: the PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large (Carton of 200) for mains, with the 4oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Bowl (Carton of 1000) for sides or desserts.
• Pizzerias: the 15in Serving Container – White Pizza Box (Carton of 50) for large pizzas; its white and brown finish stands out from all-brown packs.
• Caterers: the 80mm Corrugated Plate – Brown Rectangle Catering Tray Large High Sides (Carton of 50) for platters, with the Plate – Brown Catering Tray Sleeve Medium-Large (Carton of 50) where a sleeve suits your trays.

If you buy several of these shapes at once, our guide to takeaway containers in bulk covers planning carton orders, and the full range is on the takeaway containers page.

How do I order?

Everything is sold by the carton, and each product page shows the carton price and price per item. There is no minimum order. 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 order several shapes in one go, use quick order.

Setting up or restocking your packaging?

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