The best takeaway boxes for restaurant delivery

Written by: Rose Lloyd11 November 2026

Delivery is harder on packaging than collection. Food can spend a while in a bag, gets tipped and jolted on the way, and still has to arrive hot and looking right. We've picked the best takeaway boxes from the Catering24 range in card, bagasse, foil, and plastic, so you can match the box to the dish.

Every pick is available at trade prices. Orders over £25 ex VAT get free delivery in our delivery area, and you can order by 4pm, Monday to Friday, for next day delivery.

The best takeaway boxes at a glance

Our best all-rounder is the No.8 kraft takeaway box, and the No. 6 foil container is the cheapest per item. The table runs from lowest to highest cost per item.

Box	Material	Per pack	Pack price (ex VAT)	Per item (ex VAT)	Best for
No. 6 Aluminium Foil Container	Foil	500	£48.10	£0.10	Curries and oven dishes
650cc Microwaveable Container	Plastic	250	£27.49	£0.11	Saucy dishes and reheating
No.8 Kraft Leakproof Takeaway Box	Kraft card	200	£29.13	£0.15	Best all-rounder
9 x 6" Bagasse 2 Compartment Lunch Box	Bagasse	250	£43.40	£0.17	Compostable meal deals
16oz Kraft Heavy Duty Soup Container	Kraft paper	250	£54.19	£0.22	Soups and stews

Foil container lids are sold separately, at £12.74 ex VAT for 500. Prices were checked on 11 November 2026 and can change, so check the product page before you order.

Our picks for delivery

Best all-rounder: No.8 Kraft Leakproof Takeaway Box

Kraft card boxes suit most delivery menus, from curry and rice to fried food and salads. They're grease resistant, microwaveable, and recyclable, and the lid locks shut with a hook tab, so the box stays closed in the bag. The 46oz No.8 is our most popular size, and the range runs from 26oz to 98oz.

Don't use them for soup or sauces on their own, as the lid isn't airtight.

Shop kraft takeaway boxes

Compostable meal deals: 9 x 6" Bagasse 2 Compartment Lunch Box

Made from sugarcane fibre, these bagasse boxes are commercially compostable and rated for hot food. Two compartments keep curry and rice, or a main and a side, apart on the way, and a double locking clasp holds the lid shut.

Shop bagasse packaging

Curries and oven dishes: No. 6 Aluminium Foil Container

Foil is the classic choice for curries and Chinese dishes. The 710cc No. 6 container can go in the oven and the freezer, and it's recyclable. It isn't microwave safe, and the card lids are sold separately.

Shop foil containers

Soups and stews: 16oz Kraft Heavy Duty Soup Container

For anything liquid, use a proper soup container. These heavy duty kraft pots are rigid and leak resistant, and the paper lid fits snugly to cut spills and heat loss. They're recyclable and come with their lids.

Shop soup containers

Saucy dishes and reheating: 650cc Microwaveable Container

Plastic is still the best fit for saucy dishes that customers might reheat. Our polypropylene containers are microwave and freezer safe, with clip-on lids. Read our guide to the best plastic takeaway containers for the full range.

Shop plastic containers

How to choose delivery packaging

Start with the dish, then think about the journey.

• Keep wet and dry apart. Put soups and sauces in sealed pots rather than card boxes.
• Check it can be reheated. Card and plastic boxes can go in the microwave, but foil can't.
• Think about disposal. Bagasse is commercially compostable, while foil, card, and polypropylene are recyclable.
• Choose boxes that stack. Multi-item orders then sit flat in the bag.

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