Custom Printed Catering Boxes for Platters and Buffet Orders

What is a catering box?

A catering box is the outer carrier for a group order. Instead of handing over ten loose dishes, you hand over one tray that holds them all.

The style in our photos is an open corrugated tray. Its short ends have cut-out hand holes, and the back wall rises into a tall panel with a curved top. That panel works like a small sign once the tray is set down on a buffet table.

For the person receiving the order, it means one thing to carry from reception to the meeting room. For you, it means the food arrives in the layout you packed, with your name on show.

We can also quote a lidded version for food that must stay covered on the way.

Who orders printed catering boxes?

Catering boxes suit any business that sends food out in bulk to one address. Typical buyers include:

• Outside caterers delivering hot buffets to offices
• Sandwich shops that run a corporate platter service
• Restaurants offering party trays for collection
• Bakeries sending pastry and cake selections to meetings
• Event caterers feeding crews, guests or volunteers
• Sushi and wrap bars with sharing platters

How big should a catering box be?

Build the box around the dishes, not the other way round. Measure the foil trays or platters you already use, including any rim or lid, and send those numbers in mm.

Allow a small gap round the edge, about 5 to 10 mm, so trays drop in without force but cannot slide about. Wall height should clear the tallest lid, so a second tray can rest on the tray walls if needed.

Our guide to UK food packaging sizes gives typical measurements if you are starting from scratch.

E flute or B flute for heavy buffet trays?

Corrugated board comes in different flute heights. The flute is the wavy layer between the two flat liners, and it decides how stiff the board feels.

Pick the flute by weight and by the way the box is carried.

Can hot food go straight into a catering box?

Most caterers place hot food in foil or paper trays first, then sit those trays in the catering box. The corrugated board stays dry, and the box can be wiped or replaced without touching the food.

If food will sit directly on the board, such as bread rolls or pastries, ask for a grease-resistant lining or coating. A sheet of greaseproof paper on the base works too. Food-contact materials are available on request, and we confirm which one on your quote.

Steam from hot trays softens corrugated board over time, so leave lids slightly vented until you load the van.

What should you print on the display panel?

The raised back panel is the part people see on the table. Keep it simple: your name, a short line about what you do, and your web address or WhatsApp.

The sides and front lip carry less weight, so a pattern or a single colour band is enough there. Inside print is also possible, which suits a thank-you message under the trays.

Corrugated board takes everything from a single ink to full colour CMYK, or it can stay plain kraft. Our free guide to designing printed food packaging covers where corrugated print behaves differently from folding board.

How do you load and carry catering boxes?

A full catering box can be heavy, so the order you load it in matters. Use this sequence on busy delivery mornings.

1. Fold the box flat to tray shape and check the hand holes are clear.
2. Place the heaviest hot tray against the back panel first.
3. Add lighter trays or platters towards the front.
4. Tuck napkins, cutlery and sauces into the gaps so nothing slides.
5. Lift with both hands through the end holes and keep the box level.
6. Slide it onto a flat surface in the vehicle, never on a seat.

Common catering box mistakes

Sizing to a platter you plan to buy, then changing supplier, leaves trays rattling in a box that no longer fits. Measure what you will really use.

Choosing E flute to save money on a box that will carry four hot trays is another. The base can bow when lifted. B flute is the safer choice for heavy hot loads.

Finally, crowded artwork on the display panel is hard to read from across a room. Bigger and fewer words work better.

One more: forgetting the vehicle. Measure the boot or van shelf, so two boxes fit side by side without overhanging the edge.

Can a catering box carry boxed lunches and drinks?

Yes, and many corporate orders work this way. Ten or twelve individual lunch boxes stack in two rows inside one tray, so the driver makes a single trip from the van.

Tell us the size of the lunch box you use and how many you want per tray. We set the inner measurements so the stacks sit snug, with room at one end for napkins and cutlery.

Drinks are heavier and can tip. Keep bottles and cans in a separate bag or a second tray, rather than squeezed between food boxes. A spilt drink ruins a whole order of sandwiches.

What goes with a catering box order?

Group orders often mix hot trays with individual items. Boxed lunches can travel inside the catering box, and a paper bag carries drinks and extras.

For hot trays that go straight onto the buffet, our printed paper food trays are an alternative to foil for dry items such as pastries or wraps.

How do you order catering boxes?

Send us the measurements of your trays or platters and how many boxes you need. Catering boxes start at £0.25 per unit, and each run gets its own written price.

You receive a free design proof first. Once you approve it, production takes 4–6 business days. Your boxes then reach any UK address by free tracked delivery in 2–3 business days.

A damaged or misprinted box is reprinted or refunded when photos reach us inside 10 days of delivery. Ready to price a run? Ask for a catering box quote today.