Most burger box suppliers look the same from the website. The differences show up after you have paid: a minimum that turns out to be per size rather than per order, a plate fee on the invoice, a proof that was a flat JPEG, a box that arrives in a different brown than the sample. All of it is avoidable if you ask the right questions first. Here are the nine worth asking, and what a good answer sounds like.
1. What is the real minimum order?
Ask for the minimum in units and whether it applies per design, per size or per order. A supplier who says “100 units” but means 100 of each size, each in its own print run, is quoting something very different from 100 boxes total. Ask too what happens to the unit price between the minimum and the next break, because a low minimum at a high unit price can cost more than a higher minimum at a sensible one.
Here the minimum is 100 units and the unit price starts from $0.20 and falls as quantity rises, as laid out under wholesale burger box pricing by quantity.
2. Can I get a sample before I commit?
A sample tells you three things a photo cannot: how the board feels, how it folds, and how it behaves with your actual food in it. Ask whether samples are available, whether they are plain or printed, and how long they take. A plain sample of the right board and size is enough to check fit and grease performance.
Test it properly. Put your wettest build in it, close it, and leave it in a warm bag for as long as your longest delivery takes. The kraft burger boxes range is the usual starting point for a sample, because kraft is the board most people end up ordering.
3. Will I see a proof, and what kind?
Insist on a proof you can read. A 2D proof shows the flat dieline with your artwork in position, where you check bleed, text safety and whether the logo is on the lid or the base. A 3D proof shows the box assembled, where you catch an upside-down side panel or a logo that disappears into a fold. Ask whether proofs and revisions are free, because a supplier who charges per revision is pricing in your mistakes.
Both proofs are free here, and nothing goes to press until you approve them. Look at how a custom printed burger box is set up before you send artwork.
4. Which boards do you actually run?
A manufacturer should be able to name the board, not just the color. Ask whether they offer SBS paperboard, kraft, recycled kraft, corrugated in E or B flute, bagasse and polystyrene, and which they would recommend for your service. If the answer is “brown and white”, you are probably talking to a reseller.
Ask for the board weight on the quote too. Two kraft boxes that look alike can differ a lot in stiffness, which shows in a delivery bag. The cardboard burger box options page explains what each board does with heat, weight and grease.
5. Are the inks and coatings food-safe?
Any box that touches food should be printed with food-safe inks on the outside and carry a food-grade, grease-resistant coating on the inside. Ask the supplier to state that in writing on the quote, and ask what the coating is. A straightforward supplier will tell you; an evasive answer is itself an answer.
Grease resistance is a separate question from food safety. Before you decide between a coating and a liner, read what actually stops a box leaking.
6. How long does production take, and what does rush mean?
Get the lead time in business days, and ask when the clock starts. “Seven to ten days” from proof approval is a different promise from seven to ten days from payment. Ask whether rush is available, what it costs and how many days it saves. Then ask what happens if the run is late.
Here production is 7 to 10 business days after proof approval, with rush available when a launch date is fixed. If you are moving a menu into new takeaway burger boxes, order before the old stock runs out.
7. What does shipping cost and where do you ship?
Shipping is the charge most likely to surprise. Ask whether it is included, whether it changes with quantity, and whether the price covers delivery to your door or only to a freight depot. Ask about countries if you operate in more than one.
Shipping here is free to the US, UK, Canada and Australia; how a run travels is under shipping and delivery terms.
8. What is not in the unit price?
This is the question that catches the most people. Common extras to ask about:
| Charge | What it is | Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Die charge | Cutting tool for a custom size | Is it charged per order or waived? |
| Plate charge | Printing plates for offset runs | Charged per color? Per reorder? |
| Artwork fee | Setting up or fixing your file | Free, hourly, or flat? |
| Proof fee | 2D or 3D proofs and revisions | Free, and how many rounds? |
| Setup fee | Press make-ready | Charged on reorders too? |
| Sample fee | Plain or printed samples | Free, or refunded on order? |
Here there are no die or plate charges, and design and proofs are free. The unit price on the quote is the price. Everything that can be ordered, from boxes to wraps and liners, sits under the burger box packaging range.
9. Who helps with the artwork?
You may have a logo and nothing else. Ask whether the supplier has a designer who will build the artwork from that, how many revisions are included, and whether you will own the final files. Ask also whether they will tell you when a design will not print well; a supplier who prints whatever is sent is not saving you money.
Design is free here; send a logo, a color reference and a note on the tone you want. The branded burger boxes page shows what a logo-led design looks like across the range.
Putting it together
Ask all nine before a first order and you will have the answers in writing. A good manufacturer answers them without being chased; a vague answer is the information. The sizes you will be asked about run from mini 4x4x2 through XL 7x7x4 inches plus the 8x5x2.5 burger-and-chip, and custom dimensions cost no more to set up. If you have not measured yet, measure the build before you pick a size.
Get a quote
Send the size, style, board, quantity and any artwork you have, and the nine answers above come back with the price. Payment is by bank transfer against invoice or cash on delivery. Start on the burger box quote form.
Need a price for a run? Send the size, style and quantity and we will come back with wholesale pricing and a production timeline — start on the burger packaging quote form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the production time include shipping?
No. Production of 7 to 10 business days starts when you approve the proof and ends when the boxes leave; shipping is on top of that. Shipping is free to the US, UK, Canada and Australia, but the days it takes depend on where you are, so ask for the delivery estimate at quote stage and plan from the delivery date rather than the production date.
Why do some burger box suppliers quote a much lower unit price than others?
Usually because the unit price is not the whole price. A low figure can carry a die charge, plate charges per color, an artwork fee, paid proofs or shipping added at checkout, and the final invoice ends up higher than a quote that included everything. Here the price starts from $0.20 per unit at a minimum of 100, falls as quantity rises, and nothing is added for dies, plates, design, proofs or shipping; the wholesale burger box price breaks show how it moves.
Should I order one box size first or the full range at once?
Start with the one size that fits most of your menu and prove it in service before adding others. A single size is easier to store, easier to train staff on, and tells you quickly if the board or closure needs changing. Since there are no die charges, adding a second size on a later order costs no setup, so there is no penalty for starting small and growing the range.
What should I check when a burger box order arrives?
Count the cartons against the invoice, then open one from the middle of the pallet, not just the top. Compare the printed box with the approved 3D proof for color, logo position and size, fold one up and check the lid closes cleanly, and put a real burger in it for a grease test. Keep two boxes from the run in the office as the reference for your next reorder.
Why is the kraft shade different from the sample I was sent?
Because kraft is a natural, unbleached fiber board and its shade moves slightly from batch to batch. Recycled kraft varies more still, with fleck and tone changing across a run. Ask for a sample cut from current stock before a large order, and treat a small shift in brown as normal. If a box must match a brand color exactly, print that color on white SBS board instead of relying on the board tone.
Can I give my own box dimensions instead of choosing a standard size?
Yes. Send the internal length, width and height you need, or the measurements of the assembled burger, and the box is cut to that size. The standard range runs from mini 4x4x2 up to XL 7x7x4 inches plus the 8x5x2.5 burger-and-chip box, but a custom dimension has no die charge here, so it costs no more to set up than one from the list.
What payment terms are normal for a burger box order?
Expect to pay by bank transfer against an invoice, with cash on delivery as the alternative here. What matters more than the method is timing: ask when payment is due relative to proof approval and whether production starts before it clears. Get the answer in writing on the quote, alongside the lead time and shipping, so the invoice holds no surprises when the boxes arrive.
Is a 3D proof the same thing as a physical sample?
No, and you may want both. A 3D proof is a rendered image of your artwork on the assembled box, used to catch an upside-down panel or a logo lost in a fold; it is free and comes with the 2D dieline proof. A physical sample is a real box in the chosen board, used to test fit, stiffness and grease, and it is available on request. The proof checks the design; the sample checks the box.
What information do I need to send to get an accurate burger box quote?
Box size or burger measurements, style, board, quantity, number of print colors, any artwork or logo, the delivery country and the date you need stock by. With those, the quote can come back with a unit price, a delivery date and a proof. Leave any of them out and the price is a guess; the quantity and the board move the unit cost most, so get those two right first.
How far ahead should I reorder burger boxes?
Place the reorder when your remaining stock covers 7 to 10 business days of production plus shipping, with a buffer for the proof round. If nothing has changed in the artwork, approve the proof the same day it arrives so the clock starts at once. Rush is available when a promotion date is fixed, but a reorder placed on time avoids needing it at all.
More guides
- 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 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.