Burger box packaging comes down to four decisions: the style of box, the board it is made from, the size it has to hold, and how it is printed. Get those right and the burger arrives intact and looking like it came from your kitchen. Get them wrong and the bun flattens, grease shows through, or the box costs more than it needed to. This page walks through each decision and links to the range that covers it.
Every line here is printed to order rather than pulled from stock, so nothing on this page is a fixed product — it is a starting point you adjust. Prices start at $0.20 a unit, the minimum order is 100, and design and shipping are included.
Box styles
The style decides how the box opens, how it stacks behind a counter, and how well it holds a tall build. A clamshell hinges at the back and is the default for a single burger: one motion to open, one to close, and nothing to assemble during a rush. Parcel and takeaway boxes are squarer and deeper, which suits delivery runs where boxes are stacked in a bag.
Window boxes put a die-cut panel in the lid so the product shows without the box being opened, which matters for display counters and for delivery photography. Foldable boxes ship flat and are assembled on site, trading a few seconds of labor for a large saving on storage and freight — useful if you are ordering in volume but short on back-of-house space.
Not everything is a box. Trays hold open builds and loaded fries, liners sit inside a box to take the grease, inserts stop the burger sliding in transit, and wraps and sleeves handle the burger directly. The full range of styles is grouped under burger box styles by type.
Board and materials
Material governs grease resistance, how much heat the box holds, and what the packaging says about you before it is opened. Cardboard is the general purpose choice and takes print well. Corrugated board adds a fluted layer, which stiffens the box and insulates it — worth it for heavier builds and longer delivery times.
Kraft is unbleached and arrives brown, which reads as plain and unprocessed and is why so many independents use it. Paper board is lighter and cheaper and suits smaller items where structure matters less. Bagasse is pressed from sugarcane fiber left over from sugar milling; it is sturdy, resists grease without a plastic lining, and composts.
Recycled kraft and biodegradable stock are available where the environmental claim is part of the brand rather than an afterthought. The whole comparison, with the recycled and compostable options alongside the conventional ones, sits under burger boxes by material.
Sizes
Sizing is the decision people most often get wrong. A box with too much headroom lets the burger slide and arrive leaning; too little and the lid presses the bun flat and pushes the fillings out the side. The box should hold the build with a few millimeters to spare and no more.
Standard runs cover sliders, single burgers, tall stacked builds, doubles and large formats, and any of them can be cut to your own internal dimensions instead. If you are unsure, measure your tallest regular build with the lid of the bun on and send that figure with the quote — pick a starting point from burger boxes by size.
Print and finish
Printing is where packaging does brand work rather than just carrying food. Full-color print is available across the range, and the coating changes the feel as much as the look: gloss lifts color and wipes clean, matte is flatter and more restrained, and spot UV puts a gloss layer over selected artwork so a logo catches the light against a matte background.
Color-led options — black, brown, pink, red and white stock — are grouped under burger boxes by color, and are often the quickest way to look deliberate without a full print run.
Logo work, printed sleeves, branded meal boxes and stickers are collected under custom printed burger packaging, and can be applied to any box style on this page. Our designers prepare the artwork at no charge, so a logo and a rough idea are enough to start.
Packaging around the burger
Most orders do not stop at the box. Fries boxes, nugget and fried chicken boxes, sandwich and snack boxes, sauce pots with lids, cups for cold drinks and coffee, salad bowls, paper straws and delivery bags are printed on the same run and in the same artwork.
Ordering them together is usually cheaper than ordering them separately and it keeps the whole handover looking like one brand rather than a collection of suppliers — the range is listed under food packaging for burger shops.
Getting a price
Unit price falls as quantity rises, so a firm number needs three things: the internal size, the style and board, and the run length. Artwork can follow. Send those and we come back with wholesale pricing and a production timeline — start on the burger packaging quote form.
If you would rather see the range first, every burger box and packaging line is listed in one place. To talk a specification through instead, call (503) 461-4788.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main burger box styles, and how do I pick one?
The core styles are clamshells with hinged lids, parcel boxes with separate lids, window boxes, trays, sleeves and wraps. Pick by service style: clamshells for fast counters, parcel boxes for delivery, trays for dine-in and baskets, and sleeves when you want one box with changing designs. Most restaurants use two styles, one for single burgers and one for combos.
What is a burger box actually made from?
Most burger boxes are SBS paperboard, which prints crisply, or kraft and recycled kraft, which give a natural brown look. Corrugated E or B flute board adds strength for delivery and catering. Bagasse is molded sugarcane fiber that handles grease and moisture well, and polystyrene foam insulates but is restricted in some areas. The right board depends on menu, service style and branding.
How do I stop a burger box from going soggy?
Sogginess comes from steam and grease. Choose a grease-resistant food-grade lining, add vent holes if the burger travels, and avoid oversized boxes where steam condenses under the lid. Toast buns well and keep wet sauces in sauce cups where possible. Our article on greaseproof burger packaging options explains the linings and coatings in detail.
Are your burger boxes safe for direct food contact?
Boxes are made from food-grade board printed with food-safe inks, and grease-resistant food-grade coatings or linings can be added inside. For very hot or saucy items, an inner liner or wrap adds another layer between food and box. If a health inspector or retailer asks for paperwork, mention it in your quote request and we will confirm what is available for your material.
What size burger box do most restaurants start with?
A standard 5x5x3 inch box fits most single-patty burgers on a regular bun. From there, restaurants add a 6x6x3.5 large or 6.5x6.5x4 double for bigger builds, a 4x4x2 mini for sliders and kids' meals, and a 6x6x5 tall box for stacked specialties. All of these are starting points, and each box is cut to your measured dimensions.
Which finish should I choose for a burger box?
Matte is a popular finish for a modern, low-glare look, while gloss makes colors brighter. Soft-touch adds a velvet feel for premium brands. Spot UV, foil and embossing or debossing highlight a logo. On kraft, many brands skip a finish entirely to keep the natural texture. Your free 3D mockup shows the effect before you commit to a run.
Is offset or digital printing used for burger boxes?
Both. Digital printing suits shorter runs and designs that change often, because setup is quick. Offset printing gives very consistent color and suits larger quantities with Pantone matching. The method is chosen based on your quantity and artwork, and either way there are no die or plate charges added to your quote.
Can burger boxes be recycled or composted after use?
Paperboard, kraft and corrugated boxes are widely recycled where local programs accept food-contact paper, though heavily greased boxes may be rejected. Bagasse is a plant fiber that can break down in composting where facilities accept it. Polystyrene is the hardest to recycle. Check the rules where your customers live and choose the material that fits their waste stream.
How does the price of a burger box come together?
Prices start from $0.20 per unit with a 100-unit minimum. The final figure depends on five things: size, material, print coverage, finish and quantity. The unit price falls as quantity rises, so a larger order lowers the cost of each box. There are no die or plate charges, and design help, proofs and US shipping are free.
Do you make packaging beyond burger boxes for the rest of the menu?
Yes. Alongside burger boxes we produce fries boxes, nugget and fried chicken boxes, hot dog boxes, cups, sauce cups, straws, salad bowls, sandwich boxes and delivery bags. Matching all of them to one design keeps the brand consistent when a customer opens a full order. Each item is quoted separately, with the same 100-unit minimum.
Guides
Longer answers to the questions that come up before a specification is settled.
- Branding Burger Boxes on a Small Budget How to make custom burger packaging look considered without a full-color print run: stock color, one-color print, sleeves, stickers and where to spend first.
- Burger Box Printing Explained: Offset, Digital, Colors and Finishes How a burger box is printed: CMYK or Pantone, offset or digital, what changes on kraft versus white board, finishes, artwork files and proofs.
- Burger Patty Packaging for Butchers and Meal-Prep Brands How to package raw and frozen burger patties for retail and wholesale: patty boxes, freezer-grade board, wax and PE liners, labeling, and how to order.
- Catering Boxes: Sizes, Styles and How to Order for Events What a catering box needs that a burger box does not: sizes for meals and platters, sandwich and combo styles, board, branding and ordering for an event.
- Clamshell vs Parcel Burger Boxes How the two most common burger box styles differ in service, in a delivery bag and on the shelf, and which one suits the way you actually hand food over.
- Eco-Friendly Burger Boxes: What the Options Actually Mean Recyclable, biodegradable and compostable are not the same claim. What bagasse, recycled kraft and uncoated board really offer, and how to choose honestly.
- Gloss, Matte or Spot UV: Choosing a Finish What each coating changes about how a printed burger box looks, feels and performs, and when spot UV is worth the extra step.
- Greaseproof Burger Packaging: What Actually Works Why burger boxes leak, and what stops it: coatings, liners, wraps and ventilation, and how to choose between them for counter service and delivery.
- How a Custom Burger Box Order Works From first measurement to printed run: what a quote needs, how artwork is handled, why unit price falls with quantity, and what to check before approving.
- How to Choose a Burger Box Manufacturer: 9 Questions to Ask Nine questions that separate a real burger box manufacturer from a reseller: minimums, samples, proofs, board, inks, turnaround, shipping and extra fees.
- How to Choose a Burger Box Size Measure the build, not the burger: how to size a burger box so the bun does not flatten and the build does not slide, and which standard size to start from.
- Kraft vs Cardboard vs Corrugated Burger Boxes What each board actually does with heat, grease and weight, and how to pick between kraft, cardboard and corrugated for burger packaging without overspending.
- Newsprint Burger Boxes: How the Look Is Printed and What It Costs The newspaper look on a burger box is a print, not real newsprint. How it is done on kraft or white board, which styles carry it, and how to order a run.
- Packaging Burgers for Delivery What changes when a burger box has to travel: stacking, steam, grease and time, and the specification changes that keep food arriving the way it left.
- Packaging the Whole Order, Not Just the Burger Fries, sauces, drinks and bags decide as much about how an order arrives as the burger box does. What to specify for each, and why one run beats four suppliers.
- Window Burger Boxes: When the Cut-Out Earns Its Cost A window shows the product without opening the box. What it costs in structure, heat and grease, and the situations where it pays for itself.