Custom Food Trays

Three questions that pick the right tray

Most tray mistakes come from ordering by name instead of by load. A "burger tray" that is perfect for a single smash burger can buckle under a double with a side of onion rings. Before you scroll the grid, answer three things about the food you plan to put in it.

How heavy and how wet is it? Nachos with cheese sauce and jalapeños, chili dogs and loaded fries are heavy and saucy. Popcorn, pretzels and pastries are light and dry. Does it travel? A tray that goes from a pass window to a table thirty feet away has an easy life. A tray carried through a stadium concourse or stacked in a delivery bag needs higher walls and a stiffer base. Is it one item or a meal? One item suits a narrow boat; a burger, fries and a drink side needs a wider tray, sometimes with a divider.

Tray styles in this collection and when each fits

Single-item trays

Hot dog, sandwich, crepe and waffle trays are long and narrow, shaped around one item. Hot dog trays keep a loaded dog from rolling and catch relish and onions. Sandwich trays are a touch wider and flatter for subs, wraps and paninis. Crepe and waffle trays are shallow, so toppings stay visible and the customer can cut in with a fork at a dessert stand.

Snack and concession trays

Fries, popcorn, nacho and snack trays carry the loose foods that sell at ballparks, movie nights and county fairs. These are deeper, with sloped walls so the food piles up and doesn't spill when someone squeezes past. The printed nacho trays for concession stands are built for the hardest job in the group: chips, a pool of cheese and a heavy topping load carried back to a seat.

Meal and sharing trays

Our printed combo meal trays and the cardboard food trays carry a full order at once. They work for counter-service restaurants that hand a tray straight to the customer, and for caterers who set out sliders or wings on a buffet. Pizza and pizza slice trays sit in this group too: a full pie tray is flat and wide, while a slice tray is a narrow wedge that keeps a single slice from flopping at a late-night window.

Bakery and dessert trays

Bakery and dessert trays are the light-duty end of the range. The custom bakery trays carry cupcakes, brownies, cookies and pastries from a display case to a box or a table, and they often take finer printing and finishes because the food itself is part of the display.

Comparing tray types side by side

Treat the material column as a starting point. Your sample run is where you confirm it with your actual portion.

Paperboard, corrugated and coatings

Paperboard is a single, dense sheet. It takes sharp printing, folds cleanly and stacks flat, so it suits light and medium loads and gives the best-looking photos on a menu board. Corrugated cardboard has a fluted middle layer, which makes it far stiffer for the weight; it is the safer pick for combo meals, pizzas and anything that has to survive a long walk. Kraft board, in either build, gives a brown, rustic look that suits barbecue joints and farm-to-table menus.

Grease and sauce are what actually break trays. Coated stock slows oil from soaking into the board and keeps the outside print clean. For the heaviest, wettest foods, many operators add a printed liner: our custom food basket liners sit on top of the tray, catch the mess and can carry a second design. All food-contact materials are FDA-compliant, and recyclable options are available.

Designing a tray people actually see

A tray's print area is mostly hidden by food. Plan the design around the parts that stay visible.

• The outer walls and end panels. These face the customer as the tray is handed over and as it sits on the table. Put the logo here, not in the middle of the base.
• The inside rim. A short line of text or a pattern along the rim shows once some of the food is gone.
• The base. Use it for a repeat pattern or a message that is fun to discover at the end, like a social handle or "thanks for stopping by".
• Grease zones. White or pale backgrounds show oil spots fast. Red, black, kraft and checkerboard patterns hide them.
• Cold food. Trays for chilled desserts or items from a reach-in cooler collect condensation, so pick a coated stock and avoid fine text that may smudge.

The step-by-step order form on this page walks you through size, material, print and finish, and lets you attach your logo with the quote request. Free design help is there if you only have a logo file.

How to order custom trays

1. Measure your biggest portion. Plate it up and measure length, width and height with the food on, not the empty plate.
2. Pick a style and material. Use the table above, then shortlist one or two options per menu item.
3. Request free samples. Load them with real food, leave them under a heat lamp, carry them across the room and see how the base holds up.
4. Send artwork. CMYK for photos and gradients, PMS for exact brand colors. We send a proof for approval.
5. Approve and produce. Production takes 4–6 business days after proof approval; rush options are available for openings and events.
6. Set a reorder point. The minimum is 100 units. Count how many trays a busy weekend uses and reorder when you are down to two or three weekends of stock.

Shipping is free to the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia. If you serve the same food in sleeves or bags for takeout, our printed food sleeves collection can carry the same artwork as your trays.

Where printed trays earn their place

Food trucks use trays to turn a handheld item into a meal that can be eaten standing up. Stadiums and arenas need trays that hold up through a crowded concourse. Schools, churches and community fundraisers buy short runs for one event, while burger chains and pizzerias order the same tray again every few weeks. Catering companies often keep one neutral tray in stock and print a client's logo on a short run for a corporate lunch or a wedding late-night snack.