1 / 4Custom Chinese Takeout Boxes (Printed with Logo)
Custom printed Chinese takeout boxes in 8 oz to 64 oz sizes. White SBS or kraft board with a leak-resistant PE or PLA lining, wire handle or microwave-safe handleless style. 50-box minimum and a 6 to 8 day turnaround.
- Digital proof before production
- Free design support
- CMYK or Pantone colors
- Ships to all 50 states
Custom Chinese takeout boxes are folded paperboard containers printed with your logo, brand colors or pattern. The packaging trade calls them oyster pails or paper pails. Each box folds from a single sheet of coated board, which is why it holds rice, noodles and saucy entrees without falling apart on the way home. Urgent Custom Boxes prints them for Asian restaurants, noodle bars, fusion kitchens, poke shops and caterers across the United States.
Custom Chinese takeout boxes come in five standard sizes: 8 oz (half pint), 16 oz (pint), 26 oz, 32 oz (quart) and 64 oz (two quart). They are made from white SBS or natural kraft paperboard with a PE or PLA interior lining that resists leaks and grease. You can choose a classic wire handle or a handleless, microwave-safe style.
Every box prints in CMYK or Pantone colors with soy or water-based inks. Orders start at 50 boxes with no plate or die fees. Standard production takes 6 to 8 business days after proof approval, rush orders take 4 to 6 business days, and shipping is free to all 50 states.
Locking top tab
The box closes itself with no tape or stapler.
Wire handle
Easy carrying, removable before reheating.
Tapered print panels
Four side panels plus the top flaps carry your branding.
Interior lining
PE or PLA barrier against sauce, oil and steam.
One-piece base
No glued seams where liquid could escape.
Build Your Box in Three Choices
Every custom takeout box order comes down to three decisions. Get these right and the rest is artwork.
- Size. Match the box to the dish. A side of steamed rice needs a different box than a family order of lo mein. See the menu sizing grid.
- Handle. A wire handle is classic and easy to carry. A handleless box goes straight into the microwave. Compare handle styles.
- Lining. PE handles soup and heavy sauce. PLA makes the box commercially compostable. Wax suits dry and cold food. See how the lining works.
Tell us your menu and we recommend all three on your quote.
Which Chinese Takeout Box Size Fits Your Menu?
Chinese takeout boxes are sized in pints and quarts. A 16 oz pint holds about 2 cups and suits rice and single entrees. A 32 oz quart holds about 4 cups and suits noodles, soups and large mains. Custom sizes are available for menus that don’t fit the standard range.
The pint and quart naming is the standard in American takeout, so your kitchen, your delivery staff and your customers already understand it. The grid below matches common dishes to the right box, lining and handle.
| Dish | Box size | Capacity | Bottom L x W x H (in) | Lining | Handle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side of steamed rice | 1/2 pint | 8 oz, about 1 cup | 2 3/8 x 1 3/4 x 2 1/2 | Wax or PE | Optional |
| Fried rice, single entree | Pint | 16 oz, about 2 cups | 2 3/4 x 2 1/8 x 3 1/2 | PE | Wire or handleless |
| General Tso’s, orange chicken | 1 1/2 pint | 26 oz, about 3 1/4 cups | 3 1/8 x 2 5/8 x 4 | PE | Wire or handleless |
| Lo mein, wonton soup | Quart | 32 oz, about 4 cups | 3 3/8 x 2 5/8 x 4 1/4 | PE | Wire or handleless |
| Family fried rice, party orders | 2 quart | 64 oz, about 8 cups | 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 5 | PE | Wire |
Poke bowls, ramen, mac and cheese and fusion dishes often sit between standard sizes. Send your portion weight or volume and we size the box to fit, so food doesn’t shift in transit and you don’t pay for empty board.
Why Don’t Chinese Takeout Boxes Leak?
Chinese takeout boxes resist leaks because the whole box folds from one sheet of board, so the base has no glued seams for liquid to escape through. A locking top tab keeps the box closed, and an interior PE or PLA lining stops sauce and oil from soaking into the board. The box stays leak-resistant as long as it travels upright.
The Fold Engineering
A flat sheet of coated paperboard is scored and folded into a tapered pail. The corners fold into gussets instead of being cut and glued, so the bottom and lower walls form a continuous surface. That single-piece base is what lets a paper box carry lo mein sauce or wonton broth.
At the top, four flaps fold in and lock with a paperboard tab. The box closes itself, so staff can pack orders fast without tape, staples or lids. Once the customer is home, the box can even be unfolded into a flat plate.
Choosing the Lining
| Lining | Prevents | Best for | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE (polyethylene) | Sauce and broth leaks | Soups, saucy entrees, noodles | Strongest leak barrier |
| PLA (plant-based) | Leaks on eco menus | Brands with compostable packaging goals | Commercially compostable to ASTM D6400 |
| Wax | Moisture on dry food | Rice, dumplings, cold items | Economy option |
If your menu mixes soups and dry dishes, most restaurants run PE across every size so staff never grab the wrong box.
Built for Delivery Time
A takeout box now has to survive a delivery app order, not just a walk home. The folded top lets a small amount of steam escape, so fried dishes like sesame chicken and egg fried rice arrive less soggy than in a sealed plastic tub. The coated board also holds heat well during a typical delivery window. For soups and heavy sauces, keep the box upright in the bag. That single instruction on your packing station prevents most leak complaints.
Can You Microwave a Chinese Takeout Box?
Yes, as long as the metal wire handle is removed first. A wire handle can spark in a microwave. Handleless boxes, and boxes with paper or plastic handles, are made for reheating straight from the fridge.
Customers reheat takeout leftovers more than almost any other food, so the handle decision matters as much as the size.
| Factor | Wire handle | Handleless |
|---|---|---|
| Carrying | Easy single-box carry | Carried in a bag |
| Microwave | Remove handle first | Microwave safe as delivered |
| Look | Classic takeout icon | Clean, modern profile |
| Best for | Walk-in pickup, traditional brands | Delivery-heavy kitchens, meal prep, fusion brands |
Check for Hidden Metal
Some handleless boxes still use small metal clamps at the fold points. Before you print “microwave safe” on your packaging, confirm the box has no metal anywhere. Metallic foil stamping on the outside also rules out microwave use, so delivery-focused brands usually keep foil off their takeout boxes.
Food Contact and PFAS
Our takeout boxes use food-grade board that meets FDA 21 CFR 176.170 for paper in contact with wet and fatty food. Leak and grease resistance comes from the PE or PLA lining, not from fluorinated chemicals, and the boxes carry no added PFAS. We print with soy or water-based inks and supply material documentation on request.
Designing for a Tapered Box
A takeout box isn’t a flat rectangle, so artwork can’t be designed like one. The four side panels taper outward toward the top, the top flaps fold inward, and the corners tuck into gussets. Logos and text placed without the dieline can end up cut by a fold or squeezed into a corner. We build every design directly on the box dieline, the layout map that shows each tapered panel, fold line and flap.
Front panel logo
One clean logo centered on the widest panel, the most legible option on a counter or in a delivery photo.
All-over repeat
A small logo or icon pattern covering every panel, which hides fold lines and reads well from any angle.
Modern pagoda
A nod to the traditional red design, redrawn with your name and colors.
Inside print
A message, QR code or social handle revealed when the customer opens the flaps.
Keep text inside the safe zone of each panel and away from the gusset corners. Bold, simple marks hold up better on a tapered surface than fine detail.
We print in CMYK full color or in Pantone colors matched to your brand guide. Digital printing suits short runs and seasonal designs, and offset printing gives the lowest unit cost on larger runs. All boxes print with soy-based inks or water-based inks. Free design support and unlimited proof revisions come with every order.
From Oyster Pail to Brand Icon
The folded takeout box started as an oyster container. Frederick Weeks Wilcox patented the paper oyster pail in 1894, when New Yorkers carried shucked oysters home by the pailful. As oysters became scarce and expensive, the pail found a new life in American Chinese restaurants. The red pagoda print came later, added by the packaging maker Fold-Pak in the 1970s. In 2011, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History displayed takeout containers in an exhibit on Chinese food in the United States.
That history is why the shape works so well for branding. Customers recognize the box instantly. When your logo is printed on it, the most familiar shape in takeout becomes yours.
Pricing by Box Size
Custom printed takeout box pricing depends mostly on size and quantity, and the unit price drops as your order grows. Full-color coverage, kraft board with a PLA lining, and wire handles add a small amount per box. We charge no plate, die or setup fees, so short first runs carry no hidden setup cost.
Multi-location restaurants reorder from the same stored artwork, and if you have a lower written quote for the same specs, we price below it. Get your exact price in under 24 hours.
Complete the Takeout Set
Egg rolls and appetizers
Serve them in custom food trays printed to match.
Spring rolls and wrapped items
Wrap them in custom greaseproof paper with your logo.
Multi-box orders
Carry them in custom paper bags sized for takeout boxes.
See the full range of custom food packaging for every item on your menu.
How Ordering Works
- Quote. Pricing in under 24 hours.
- Proof. Free design and unlimited revisions.
- Production. 6 to 8 business days, or 4 to 6 on rush.
- Delivery. Free to all 50 states.
Custom Chinese Takeout Boxes FAQs
Do the boxes ship flat or pre-folded?
Boxes ship flat in bundles, which saves storage space in a busy kitchen. Staff fold each box in a few seconds along the pre-scored lines.
Can I mix sizes in one order?
Yes. Most restaurants order two or three sizes in the same design, such as pints for rice and quarts for noodles. Tell us the quantity for each size on your quote.
Can you recreate the classic pagoda look with my logo?
Yes. Our designers can redraw a traditional pagoda style with your restaurant name and colors, or create a fully original pattern.
Are kraft takeout boxes recyclable after use?
Clean kraft and SBS board recycles in most curbside programs. Boxes with food residue or a PE lining are not accepted everywhere, so check local rules. PLA-lined boxes suit commercial composting.
Can I order a sample before a full run?
Yes. Request a sample on your quote form to check fit, folding and print quality with your real dishes before production.
Do you price match?
Yes. Send a written quote from another supplier for the same size, board and print specs, and we price below it.
Get Your Custom Chinese Takeout Boxes Quoted
Send your size, quantity and logo. Our design team returns a digital proof before production.