Paper Straws Bulk: Sizes, Cartons and What to Order

To buy paper straws in bulk, order by the carton: most of our paper straws come 2,500 to a carton, and the wider bubble tea straws come 1,000 to a carton. Pick the diameter to suit your drinks first, then choose colour and wrapping.

That's the short answer. The rest of this guide covers the questions café, restaurant and catering owners ask before placing a straw order, so you only order a carton once.

How many paper straws come in a bulk carton?

It depends on the straw type. In our current range:

• Jumbo, flexi and cocktail straws are sold in cartons of 2,500.
• Bubble tea straws are sold in cartons of 1,000, because the wider straw takes up more room.

A carton is the smallest unit we sell for these straws, and there's no minimum order beyond that. Each product page shows the carton price, so check there rather than relying on a figure in a blog post that may be out of date.

If you're not sure how much you'll use, a quick sum helps. Count the cold drinks you serve on a typical day, multiply by the days you trade in a month, and compare that to the carton size. A café pouring a couple of hundred iced drinks a day will get through 2,500 straws far faster than a restaurant that only offers straws on request.

Which paper straw size suits which drink?

This is where most ordering mistakes happen. A straw that's too thin clogs on anything thick, and one that's too wide looks clumsy in a small glass. Here's how the range lines up:

The rule of thumb: the thicker or chunkier the drink, the wider the straw. Jumbo handles smoothies and thick iced drinks. Bubble tea straws are wide enough for pearls. Cocktail straws are short and narrow, so they belong in small glasses, not tall takeaway cups.

If you serve cold drinks in takeaway cups, check the straw height against the cup. Our cold cups range lists the sizes, and a 230mm straw suits a tall cup far better than a 120mm one.

What colours and styles can I order?

The paper straw range covers plain and patterned options:

• Plain white in cocktail, flexi and bubble tea sizes.
• Plain brown kraft in cocktail size, for venues going for a natural look.
• All black in cocktail, flexi and jumbo sizes, such as the jumbo all black.
• Stripes in black, red and green, depending on the size.

Colour is mostly a branding decision. A bar might choose all-black cocktail straws, while a juice bar might prefer the green stripe jumbo. If you run a few different drink styles, ordering two straw types, for example jumbo for smoothies and flexi for kids' drinks, covers most menus.

The straws listed above also show custom print as an option on their product pages. If you want your logo or a branded pattern on your straws, ask about it before you order a plain carton.

Should I choose individually wrapped straws?

Some of our straws come individually wrapped, such as the flexi plain white and the individually wrapped bubble tea straw. Wrapping is worth considering when:

• Customers pick up their own straw from a self-serve station.
• You serve takeaway orders and want the straw to stay clean in a bag.
• Your venue is an event or catered setting where presentation matters.

Wrapped straws take longer to load into a dispenser, and the wrapper is extra packaging to dispose of. If your team hands out straws with the drink, unwrapped straws are usually faster and simpler.

Do paper straws hold up in drinks?

Paper straws soften the longer they sit in liquid. For a drink that's finished in 20 to 30 minutes, such as a takeaway iced coffee or a smoothie, that's rarely a problem. For a drink that sits for an hour, like a slow cocktail or a long lunch, customers may notice the straw going soft towards the end.

Wider straws tend to feel sturdier in the hand, which is another reason jumbo and bubble tea sizes suit thicker drinks. If you're unsure, order one carton, use it for a few weeks, and see what your customers and staff think before committing to a bigger run.

How do I store a carton of 2,500 straws?

Paper straws should stay dry. Keep cartons off the floor, away from the dishwasher steam and sink splashes, and in a cupboard or dry store rather than a coolroom. Once you open a carton, decant a day's supply into your dispenser and keep the rest sealed in the carton so it doesn't absorb moisture.

Because one carton is a lot of straws for a small venue, make sure you have a dry place to put it before you order.

What else should I order with my straws?

Straws are rarely the only thing running low. If you're ordering cold drink supplies, it makes sense to do it in one go, which is why we ship everything from one order:

• Cold cups and lids for iced drinks and smoothies.
• Coffee cups with lids if you're restocking hot cups at the same time.
• Napkins to go with takeaway orders and dine-in tables.

Ordering together keeps your deliveries to a minimum, and there's no minimum order if you only need one carton of each.

Which one should I buy?

Start with what's in the glass:

• Smoothies, thick shakes and iced coffee: go with a jumbo straw. The jumbo green stripe is a good place to start if you want a bit of colour, or choose the all-black version for a more neutral look.
• Bubble tea or drinks with pearls and fruit pieces: choose the bubble tea straw, in plain or individually wrapped.
• Juice, soft drinks and kids' drinks: the flexi straw is the usual choice, with the bend making it easier for children to use.
• Cocktails and short glasses: the cocktail straw in white, brown, black or red stripe.

If your menu is mixed, order two cartons of two sizes rather than one carton of the wrong size. You'll waste fewer straws, and your customers will get a straw that suits their drink.

Once you've chosen a size, open the product page for the current carton price and the full specification. If you need something that isn't covered here, browse the rest of the straws range or get in touch with the Packery team and we'll help you match a straw to your drinks.

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