Custom Restaurant Paper Bags

The Last Thing a Guest Touches

A sit-down restaurant spends a lot on how a meal looks on the plate and very little on how it looks when it leaves the building. Yet a surprising share of what a restaurant makes goes out the door: leftovers boxed at the end of dinner, pickup orders, a dessert taken home, a bottle of house sauce, a gift card bought at the host stand. Custom restaurant paper bags give all of those exits one printed look that matches the dining room.

These bags suit full-service restaurants, bistros, steakhouses, family diners, pizzerias, Asian and Mexican restaurants with a strong takeout side, wine bars selling bottles to go, hotel restaurants and country clubs. The point is not just carrying food; it is making the last moment of the visit feel like part of the meal.

There is a difference from a pure takeout counter here. A takeout counter needs fast, cheap bags in volume. A restaurant often wants something a little nicer: a thicker paper, a cleaner print and maybe a foil logo, because the bag is handed over by a server at the table or by the host at the door.

Sizes That Match Restaurant Packaging

Start from your to-go containers. Most restaurants use two or three container sizes, and the bags should fit them flat. A to-go box sliding around in a bag that is too big tips over in the car, and sauce ends up on the seat.

Thick kraft is the workhorse for heavier pickup orders and hides scuffs. White paper looks cleaner at the table and makes colors and foil stand out. Both are food-contact papers that meet FDA requirements, and recyclable options are available for restaurants that want them.

Think about the bag at the host stand too. Leftovers are usually boxed by a server and set on the table in the bag at the end of the meal, which means it sits next to the check and the guest's coat for a few minutes. A neat white bag with a single logo looks like part of the service. A torn generic bag, or a box handed over with no bag at all, undoes some of the care that went into the evening. For restaurants that sell retail items such as sauces, spice rubs or wine, a tall narrow bag sized to a bottle also turns the host stand into a small shop counter.

Matching the Bag to the Dining Room

Look at your menus, signage and napkins before you design the bag. A restaurant with a black-and-gold menu should not send leftovers home in a bright orange bag. Pull your colors into PMS (Pantone) values so the print matches what guests have been looking at all evening.

• A single foil logo on white paper looks upscale and suits steakhouses and fine dining.
• Kraft with one color in black or deep green suits casual and farm-to-table places.
• Print your web address or reservation link on the side; leftovers go home to the fridge, where they are seen again.
• Embossing a logo on a plain bag looks refined without extra ink.
• Spot UV on a matte bag adds shine to just the logo.

The same artwork can carry onto what guests see at the table. Our custom printed paper placemats are a common pairing for diners and family restaurants, so the brand guests see at dinner is the brand they carry home.

Packing at the Host Stand and the Pass

Keep a stack of bags at two places: the host stand for leftovers and pickup, and the kitchen pass for takeout orders. Put a sticker or a receipt on the fold to seal each bag. Pack the heaviest container flat on the bottom, sauces upright, and cutlery and napkins on top. Hot and cold items go in separate bags if possible.

Store unused bags dry, away from the dish area and the back door. For takeout volumes that need a cheaper, faster bag than the one handed over at the table, lighter custom take-out bags can run alongside, printed with the same logo.

How to Order

1. Measure your to-go containers and list the other items guests carry out.
2. Pick two or three bag sizes and decide on kraft or white paper.
3. Gather your logo, Pantone colors and any finish you want, such as foil or embossing.
4. Request free samples and run them through a busy weekend.
5. Approve the proof; production takes 4 to 6 business days after approval.

Orders start at 100 bags per design, with volume discounts on larger runs. Free design help and free shipping to the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia come with every order. To get pricing, send your sizes through our restaurant bag quote request.