Paper Portion Cups

Portion control you can see

A portion cup does one thing very well: it fixes the amount. Half an ounce of dressing, one ounce of butter for a lobster roll, two ounces of salsa, four ounces of coleslaw. Once a kitchen decides what a portion is and puts it in a cup that holds exactly that, every plate goes out the same, food costs become predictable and nobody is guessing with a ladle during the dinner rush.

That is why paper portion cups, also called condiment cups or souffle cups, show up in nearly every kind of food business. Quick-service restaurants send dressings and dips out with salads and wings. Delis portion out pickles, olives and spreads. Meal prep companies use them for sauces kept separate until eating. Hospital and school kitchens use them for measured servings of fruit, pudding or medication. Coffee shops pre-portion toppings like whipped cream or syrup for delivery. And bakeries hand out small tastes of jam or honey butter at the counter.

Sizes and what each holds

Portion cups come in 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.5 oz. The right size depends less on the food and more on the portion you want to serve.

If the portion is mainly a dip that customers dunk food into, a cup shaped for dipping will work better. Our custom printed paper sauce cups are built around that use, with lids for delivery.

Why paper for portions

Many kitchens still use small plastic cups for portions. Paper portion cups made from food-grade SBS, kraft or PE-coated board give a different look and, for many brands, a better story. Paper reads as natural and less wasteful on a takeout tray. It also takes printing well, which plastic cups often do not at this size. And for businesses working toward lower plastic use, swapping portion cups is an easy first step because there are so many of them. Recyclable and biodegradable options are available.

Meal prep and grab-and-go brands get an extra benefit. A paper portion cup can sit inside a meal container holding dressing or sauce, so the salad stays crisp until lunch. A small printed label area on the cup wall, or a sticker on the lid, tells the customer what is inside and when it was made. It looks tidier than a plastic cup with a handwritten note, and it keeps the brand on every part of the meal.

Single wall board from 200 to 280 gsm is typical. Lighter board is fine for dry or thick portions; heavier board helps with thin dressings or warm sauces that sit for a while.

Printing on a portion cup

Most portion cups go out plain, but printing them has real uses:

• Branding on takeout trays. A small logo repeated around the wall makes every dip cup look like part of the meal.
• Flavor coding. Print each sauce in its own color, or print the flavor name, so staff and customers can tell ranch from blue cheese without opening the lid.
• Nutrition or allergen info. A short line such as "contains dairy" or a calorie count printed on the wall helps meal prep brands meet labeling needs.
• Measurement lines. For healthcare or dosing, printed lines on the side show exact amounts.

Keep artwork bold and simple; the wall of a 1 oz cup is tiny. PMS printing gives exact color for flavor coding. Gloss helps cups wipe clean; matte gives a softer look on kraft.

Prep line habits that save money

Portioning ahead of service is where these cups pay off. Fill a full sheet tray of dressings or dips during prep, lid them, and keep them in the walk-in so the line just grabs and goes. Label the tray with the date. Keep cups and lids in separate dispensers at the portioning station, and use a pump or a portion scoop sized to match the cup so every fill is the same. When a tray of filled cups goes back into the fridge, stack them no more than a few high so lids are not crushed.

For cold desserts or fruit that need a spoon, a wider cup is friendlier, and our custom paper dessert cups are shaped for that.

Ordering portion cups

1. List your portions and match each to a cup size.
2. Choose plain or printed, and white or kraft board.
3. Decide on lids and whether you want snap-on or leak-resistant styles.
4. Send artwork if printing. Our designers offer free help with flavor coding layouts.
5. Pick quantities from 100 cups per size and approve the proof. Production takes 4 to 6 business days, with rush options.

Free samples are available, and shipping is free to the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia.