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Disposable Take-Out Containers Guide

High-quality disposable takeout containers are essential for packaging up your delivery menu, merchandising your products, and operating a drive-thru. Their value isn't just in storing food; takeout containers keep food sanitary and preserve food-safe temperatures. We help you choose the best takeout packaging for your business so you can protect your products and display them for sale.


Shop All Takeout Food Containers

Types of Takeout Containers

Takeout containers come in a variety of styles, sizes, and shapes to accommodate every food and application. Whether you are stocking up on containers so guests can bring home leftovers or you're packaging foods for individual purchases, there is a takeout container for your needs.

Restaurant Equipment

1. Bakery Boxes

Bakery boxes can be used for packaging assorted types of donuts, cookies, and cakes in your bakery or sweet shop. They come in a variety of sizes to accommodate a wide range of foods as well as a variety of colors and prints to best suit your brand or event theme. They're also ideal for shipping baked goods. 

  • Materials: paperboard, recycled paperboard, cardboard, Kraft paperboard, fiberboard, glassine, wood, plastic, and foil
  • Shapes: rectangle, round square, and tulip
  • Assembly styles: auto pop-up or lock-corner
  • Features: with window, without window, microwavable, oven safe, environmentally friendly, and recyclable
Restaurant Equipment

2. Parfait Cups

Create vibrant, eye-catching displays with crystal clear plastic parfait/yogurt cups. Optional cup inserts keep granola, nuts, and fresh fruits separate from yogurt, allowing patrons the freedom to mix in desired topping quantities. Don't let the name fool you: these versatile cups aren't just for yogurt! They make excellent containers for fruit, vegetables, and ice cream sundaes. Flat and dome lids are available for different presentations.

  • Types: cups, inserts, kits, lids
  • Lid Types: dome and flat, dome, flat, no slot
  • Capacities: 2 oz. - 32 oz.
  • Features: BPA-free, BPI certified, environmentally friendly, made in America, and recyclable
Restaurant Equipment

3. Deli Containers

Display your delicious salads or soups in one of our deli containers. Showcase your pasta salad, chicken salad, or desserts in one of our cold-only containers, or choose one of our hot microwavable deli containers to display your colorful soups or casseroles. We have a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials available to suit your needs.

  • Capacities: 4 oz. - 168 oz.
  • Shapes: round, square, and rectangle
  • Uses: cold or hot
  • Features: BPA-free, compostable, recyclable, and tamper-evident
Restaurant Equipment

4. Souffle Cups

Souffle and portion cups enable you to store and offer individual servings of condiments, sauces, or samples. Lids are available, enabling you to stack and store a variety of sauces and condiments to prepare for rushes.

  • Types: container/lid combos, containers, cups, pans, ramekins, and lids
  • Materials: aluminum foil, cardboard, PLA plastic, plant fiber, plastic, uncoated paper, and wax-lined paper
  • Capacities: 0.5 oz. - 16 oz.
  • Shapes: oval or round
Restaurant Equipment

5. Catering Trays

Merchandise party trays at your grocery store or show off your signature creations at catered events with our selection of serving and catering trays. Lids are also available to protect your food and seal its freshness. They enable you to stack filled trays for convenient storage and transportation.

  • Shape: boat, oval, rectangle, round, square, and triangle 
  • Diameters: 8" - 19"
  • Materials: cardboard, foil, plastic, and sugarcane/bagasse
  • Lid types: flat, high dome, and low dome
Restaurant Equipment

6. Cake Containers

Protect the detailed icing decorations on your frosted items by using one of our cake containers. Select from containers that hold full cakes, half cakes, or individual slices to safely secure each order.

  • Shapes: round, rectangle, half-round, and wedge
  • Sizes: 1/4 sheet, 1/2 sheet, 5", 5 3/8", 6", 7", 8", 9", and 10"
  • Lid types: high dome, medium dome, dome, and low dome
  • Style: hinged and unhinged 
Restaurant Equipment

7. Chinese Takeout Boxes

Package up your orders of fried rice, pepper steak, and Asian noodles in style with our selection of Chinese takeout containers. These efficient containers ship flat for easy storage and are simple to assemble when you're ready to serve your food. Their paper construction retains heat well to ensure that your food arrives hot.

  • Designs: a wide variety of colors and prints
  • Types: Chinese bags, container/lid combos, containers, foil insulated bags, and hot food bags
  • Capacities: 0.25 lb. - 0.5 lb., 1 pt., 1 qt, and 8 oz. - 64 oz.
  • Features: with handle, green/environmentally friendly, microwavable, compostable, made in America, no PFAS added, and recyclable
Restaurant Equipment

8. Produce Containers

Use our selection of disposable produce containers to showcase your market's fresh fruits and vegetables. These containers are available in a variety of sizes and materials.

  • Types: herb containers, produce/berry containers, egg cartons, produce bags, riser padding, and trays
  • Materials: cardboard, foam, plastic, and recycled pulp
  • Capacities: 0.75 oz. - 80 oz.,  1 lb. - 4 lb., 1 qt. - 3 qt., and 0.5 pt - 1.5 pt
  • Styles: hinged and unhinged
Restaurant Equipment

9. Pie Containers

Showcase your intricately-designed crusts and colorful fruit fillings with disposable pie containers. From containers that hold single slices to entire pies, our vast selection of pie containers has your bakery creations covered.

  • Shapes: round, half-round, square, and wedge
  • Lid types: dome, high dome, medium dome, and low dome
  • Styles: hinged, non-corrugated, and unhinged 
  • Features: with window, without window, tamper evident, environmentally friendly, BPA free, Made in America, no PFAS added, recyclable, recycled content
Restaurant Equipment

10. Can Carrier

Make it easy for customers to take canned beers, soda, and specialty beverages from your merchandiser fridge or distribution area with can carriers. They are made with durable plastic flexes with the shifting positions of the cans attached to it and feature a centralized handle for quick, easy lifting and transport.

  • Sizes: 4-pack and 6-pack
  • Styles: open ring top and closed ring top
  • Materials: HDPE plastic and plastic
  • Colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, white, gray, and black
Restaurant Equipment

11. Cup Carriers

Our takeout cup carrier selection includes a variety of materials, including paperboard, pulp board, and cardboard. These carriers can accommodate hot or cold beverages. Several cup carrier styles include a flat tray compartment to easily carry hamburgers, french fries, nachos, and other food items.

  • Number of Compartments: 2, 3, 4, or 5
  • Number of Cups: 1, 2, or 4
  • Materials: HDPE plastic, Kraft paperboard, molded fiber, and plant fiber
  • Features: environmentally friendly, Made in America, and no PFAS added
Restaurant Equipment

12. Paper Soup Cups and Bowls

Make it easy for your customers to take the flavors of your soup bar home with paper soup cups and bowls. Since they offer better insulation than their plastic counterparts, paper soup cups are ideal for salad and snack bars where contents will be consumed while still hot. Lids are available for patrons transporting soup before consumption.

  • Designs: a wide variety of colors and prints
  • Capacities: 3 oz. - 64 oz.
  • Lid Types: flat, PLA paper, PLA plastic, plastic, and poly-coated paper
  • Material: bamboo paper, Kraft paper, PLA-coated paper, poly-coated paper, polypropylene, and post-consumer
Restaurant Equipment

13. 6 Pack Bottle Carriers

Allow guests to take your delicious soda, beer, or wine home with them with our 6-pack bottle carriers. These carriers are great for grocery stores or breweries offering mix-and-match 6 packs. Our selection of cardboard carriers is printed with eye-catching text that invites patrons to "mix and match a six pack"!

  • Colors: green, black, and pink
  • Length: 8 inches or 10 1/2 inches
  • Width: 5 1/4 inches, 7 inches, or 10 inches
  • Height: 8 1/4 inches, 11 inches, 12 inches
Restaurant Equipment

14. Disposable Paper and Plastic Bakeware

Display freshly-made baked goods or take-and-bake entrees with our disposable paper and plastic bakeware. With a variety of materials and applications to choose from, our selection of bakeware offers something for every business.

  • Types: baking cups, carrying trays, container/lid combos, individual slice holders, lids, mini muffin trays, molds, pans, and trays
  • Materials: paper or plastic
  • Colors: brown, clear, white, and black
  • Features: BPA-free, heat-sealable, microwavable, and freezer safe
Restaurant Equipment

15. Catering and To-Go Bowls

These catering and to-go bowls make it easy to display your catered entrees and sides or offer patrons portions of your food to take home with them. Available lids enable spill-free storage and transportation.

  • Types: bowls, containers with lids, container/lid combos, and containers with hinged lids
  • Capacities: 8 oz. - 320 oz.
  • Shapes: oval, round, square, and football
  • Colors: green, ivory, clear, white, and black
Restaurant Equipment

16. Coffee To-Go Boxes and Beverage Bags

Let your patrons take the irresistible flavor and aroma of your fresh-brewed coffee home with them with our selection of coffee to-go boxes. These caddies feature interior plastic bags to hold the coffee, while the cardboard exteriors provide easy pouring. For cold beverages, check out our selection of beverage bags. 

  • Types: beverage bags, takeout containers
  • Capacities: 16 oz., 96 oz., 125 oz., 128 oz., 160 oz.,  0.5 gallon, 1 gallon, and 3 gallons
  • Features: resealable, environmentally friendly, BPA free, no PFSAS added, and made in America
  • Colors: brown, white, and clear
     
Restaurant Equipment

17. Cupcake and Muffin Containers

Whether your customers are stocking up for a birthday party or tempted to make an impulse buy at your checkout area, cupcakes and muffins are all about presentation. Select one of these takeout cupcake and muffin containers to showcase your scrumptious treats.

  • Designs: pink, Kraft, clear, white, black, multicolor 
  • Compartments: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, and 24
  • Sizes: mini, standard, and jumbo
  • Styles: hinged, unhinged, non-corrugated, individual, with window, without window
Restaurant Equipment

18. Takeout Cookie Bags

Cookie bags are a great way for packaging your to-go gourmet cookies, pretzels, donuts, or even coffee beans. Some of them feature a viewing window for customers to easily identify the contents, which can boost impulse sales. They're also a key element in shipping cookies for e-commerce bakeries. 

  • Materials: clay-coated paper, HDPE plastic, Kraft paper, paper, PET plastic, plastic polypropylene, wax-coated paper, and wax paper
  • Window: with window or without
  • Features: resealable, grease resistant, customizable, microwavable, tin tie, environmentally friendly
  • Designs: multiple colors and prints are available
Restaurant Equipment

19. Retail Takeout Containers

Merchandise bulk goods, display salads, or offer carryout deli options with these retail takeout containers. Our selection of containers includes traditional rectangular boxes, sandwich wedge boxes, and compartment containers to meet all of your retail needs.

  • Capacities: 4 oz. - 2 qt.
  • Styles: hinged and unhinged
  • Shapes: rectangle, square, and wedge
  • Number of compartments: 1 - 4
Restaurant Equipment

20. Chicken Roaster Takeout Containers

Offer your customers a convenient grab-and-go dinner option with these chicken roaster takeout containers. These containers will showcase your juicy chicken dinner and promote impulse buys. The air-tight lid locks in moisture, guaranteeing deliciously moist chicken.

  • Types: microwavable takeout container with dome lids and hot food bags
  • Capacities: whole chicken, 12 piece, 8 piece, 4 piece, 2 piece
  • Materials: plastic and polypropylene
  • Features: made in America, no PFAS added, and resealable 
Expert Tip

For maximum efficiency, we recommend choosing the smallest size container that fits your application to reduce waste and stretch your budget.

Takeout Container Materials

Takeout containers come in a variety of materials. From plastic and foam to more eco-friendly options like paper or bagasse, we explain the pros and cons of each takeout container material so you can select the style that meets your needs.

Foam take out container with burger and fries
Foam take out container with burger and fries

Foam

Hinged foam containers are a great option for carryout orders and leftovers. These containers are lightweight yet durable enough to securely hold your customers' food.

Pros
  • Keeps hot foods hot and cold foods cold
  • Lightweight material
  • Stackable design
  • Hinged lids and interlocking tabs
  • Laminated varieties available to prevent leaks
  • Perforated lid options available for easy lid removal
Cons
  • Less environmentally friendly than other options
  • Non-microwavable
  • Some states have styrofoam bans
square foil take out container
square foil take out container

Foil

Foil containers are a popular choice for Italian restaurants and pizza joints. These versatile containers make it easy to reheat leftovers in the oven, so your customers can bring the fresh-made flavors of your restaurant home with them.

Pros
  • Can be used to bake and serve food
  • Can handle heavy dishes
  • Perfect for hot and cold food
  • Repels oil and grease
Cons
  • Less environmentally friendly than other options
  • Non-microwavable
Choice paper take out container with pasta salad
Choice paper take out container with pasta salad

Paper

Paper takeout boxes are an affordable and eco-friendly way to package up your to-go orders or leftovers. These containers are available in several prints and are a popular option for Chinese takeout boxes.

Pros
  • Collapsible design takes up less storage space than other options
  • Conserves heat
  • Grease-resistant
  • Environmentally-friendly alternative to foam or plastic
  • Heat lamp-tolerant and microwave-safe options available
  • Post-consumer recycled options available
Cons
  • Compartments not available as seen in alternative products
  • May bend or fold when used with heavy food
  • Uncoated products may absorb grease and other food remnants
black plastic take out container with spaghetti and meatballs
black plastic take out container with spaghetti and meatballs

Plastic

For sturdy design and versatility, plastic is one of the best material options for takeout containers. These durable plastic takeout containers ensure that your delivery orders will arrive at your customer's door without leaking or losing their heat.

Pros
  • Cut-, leak-, and crack-resistant
  • Non-absorbent
  • Microwave- and freezer-safe options available
  • Sturdy material
  • Transparent options are great for food display
  • Recyclable options are great for environmentally-friendly businesses
Cons
  • Most units are less environmentally friendly than other options
  • More costly than alternative products
Bagasse take out containers with salads and an olive mix
Bagasse take out containers with salads and an olive mix

Sugarcane/Bagasse

Bagasse is the by-product that's left over after sugarcane is pressed to extract its juice. This fibrous, pulpy material is used to create durable, eco-friendly takeout containers that appeal to environmentally-conscious customers.

Pros
  • Great for environmentally-friendly businesses
  • Hinged lid securely holds food
  • Compostable
  • Microwavable and freezer-safe
  • Conserves heat
Cons
  • Must be composted in a commercial composting facility
  • More costly than alternative products
  • Uncoated products may absorb grease and other food

Takeout Container Sizes

Many paper takeout containers are listed as #1 through #12 to easily indicate their size and intended application. These are industry standard sizes, however, exact measurements may vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer. Read on to learn more about takeout container sizes, capacities, and their best uses.

Restaurant Equipment

#1 Container

  • Size: 4 5/8" x 3 1/2" x 2 1/2"
  • Capacity: 30 oz.
  • Use: Sides and desserts
Restaurant Equipment

#2 Container

  • Size: 7 3/4" x 5 1/2" x 2"
  • Capacity: 49 oz.
  • Use: Entrees, sides, and desserts
Restaurant Equipment

#3 Container

  • Size: 7 3/4" x 5 1/2" x 2 1/2"
  • Capacity: 66 oz.
  • Use: Full meals, entrees, and salads
Restaurant Equipment

#4 Container

  • Size: 7 7/8 x 5 1/2" x 3 1/2"
  • Capacity: 112 oz.
  • Use: Full meals, boxed lunches, and salads
Restaurant Equipment

#5 Container

  • Size: 9" x 9" x 2 1/2"
  • Capacity: 97 oz.
  • Use: Entrees, full meals, and salads
Restaurant Equipment

#6 Container

  • Size: 9" x 9" x 3 1/2"
  • Capacity: 153 oz.
  • Use: Boxed lunches, full meals, and entrees
Restaurant Equipment

#7 Container

  • Size: 9" x 9" x 4"
  • Capacity: 202 oz.
  • Use: Boxed lunches, full meals, and entrees
Restaurant Equipment

#8 Container

  • Size: 6" x 4 5/8" x 2 1/2"
  • Capacity: 45 oz.
  • Use: Sides, desserts, and smaller portions
Restaurant Equipment

#9 Container

  • Size: 8" x 4" x 3"
  • Capacity: 55 oz.
  • Use: Entrees, salads, and sides
Restaurant Equipment

#11 Container

  • Size: 7 5/8" x 6" x 1 1/2"
  • Capacity: 46 oz.
  • Use: Entrees, sides, and desserts
Restaurant Equipment

#12 Container

  • Size: 6" x 5" x 1"
  • Capacity: 34 oz.
  • Use: Sides and desserts
Restaurant Equipment
Restaurant Equipment

Custom Takeout Containers

Add a unique touch to your disposable takeout containers by customizing them with your business's name or logo. Our selection of customizable disposables makes it easy for you to add personal flair to your containers. Customized takeout containers help advertise your products to potential customers and keep your business in the minds of current patrons.

The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details.

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