How to Make Food Packaging Attractive for Takeaway and Food Truck Businesses
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By:
Joe Sizeland
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Packaging is often the first thing a customer notices. It protects products, affects how food is consumed, and influences how your brand is viewed. For takeaways , bakeries and food trucks that serve at scale and speed, attractive packaging doesn’t require custom designs – it comes from choosing the right materials, sizes and shapes to match the food you serve.
At iKrafts, we supply a wide range of practical packaging supplies, including cones, carry boxes and clamshell containers, helping businesses create attractive packaging solutions that are straightforward, reliable and fit for purpose.
In this blog post, we look at how food packaging design can be made visually appealing and practical, and share tips on selecting packaging materials that accurately represent your products and support customer loyalty.
What makes packaging attractive is often shaped by customer preferences and where the food will be eaten. Health-focused consumers are often drawn to recycled materials and eco-friendly options , while buyers in the fast food market tend to value sturdiness and ease of transport above all else.
A practical approach is to carry out market research and test packaging in real conditions before making a decision. A reliable supplier such as iKrafts can provide free samples, allowing you to see how different containers perform with your food, assess heat retention and freshness and gather customer feedback. Contact our team to arrange samples from our range.
Effective food packaging is about detail. Containers that are the right size prevent food moving around and stop too much space from making portions look small. Sturdy lids keep freshness locked in during transport, while easy-to-carry bags mean customers have the confidence their food will arrive as it should.
Even without logos or printed designs, packaging can say a lot about your business. A neatly packed meal in a strong carry box or a lidded tub often looks more appealing than overdesigned packaging. Solid colours and simple finishes give food products a clean, reliable feel that customers recognise and trust.
Salads inside a container with a clear PET plastic lid allow customers to see freshness and colour. Window cake boxes that reveal the contents inside can be more eye-catching than heavily decorated alternatives. The way food looks through its packaging often does the work of creating brand loyalty.
Takeaway food needs packaging that is both practical and appealing, so it can protect taste and freshness while being easy to transport and consume in a variety of settings. iKrafts supplies a wide selection of products designed to meet these demands across different menu types.
For hot food, strength and insulation are essential. Chicken buckets and boxes provide sturdy, grease-resistant packaging for fried chicken and sides, while chip scoops, trays and cones make it simple to serve portions quickly at the counter. Pizza packaging boxes are designed to hold heat and protect the structure of the food during transport, and noodle boxes and pails keep rice and noodle dishes secure without leakage. For versatile hot service, foil containers with lids are widely used across curries, pastas and baked dishes. Where sustainability matters, bagasse packaging offers an eco-friendly alternative made from sugarcane fibre.
Cold food has different requirements. Kray boxes combine grease resistance with visibility, making salads, cakes and snacks look attractive on display. For grab-and-go, sandwich, baguette and wrap packaging keeps portions neat and easy to transport, with windowed options that highlight freshness.
Alongside meal packaging, essentials like catering disposables - cutlery, napkins, cups and lids - support service speed and convenience, and paper bags provide delivery staff and customers with an easy way to carry food away.
Food trucks, festival stalls and pop-up stands rely on packaging that works quickly, looks good and can handle being eaten on the move. In these fast-paced settings, designing food packaging is less about decoration and more about form and function. The packaging itself does part of the marketing - when a customer walks past someone holding an attractive, well-packed meal, it can catch the eye and spark another order.
To create packaging that performs, businesses need solutions built for one-handed eating, limited counter space and queues that move quickly. Clamshell boxes keep burgers, wraps and loaded fries contained without collapsing. Hot food bowls provide a sturdy base for noodles, pasta or curries, while tubs with lids are ideal for sides, snacks and desserts. Drinks service needs to be just as reliable: hot drinks cups with lids help queues move smoothly, and pint and half-pint cold cups are essential for serving beer or soft drinks at speed. Even snacks benefit from purpose-made containers - popcorn tubs keep portions generous-looking and easy to carry around the site.
Across the food industry, packaging affects how consumers purchase and how a brand is judged. The form of a box, the strength of a lid, or the visibility of a window can make all the difference to how food is received.
For food trucks and takeaway stands, speed and reliability matter. Designing food packaging here is about choosing items that keep food intact in queues, make one-handed eating possible, and look appealing as the products are carried across a site. This kind of effective packaging doubles as advertising, and drives extra sales.
Attractive packaging isn’t just about what the customer sees - it also depends on a supplier that keeps businesses stocked and supported. At iKrafts, we combine fair prices with free delivery on all orders over £150 net, and our team is always on hand to help. With reliable stock in our warehouses, you can focus on creating packaging that looks good, performs well, and keeps customers coming back.
Explore iKrafts' range of wholesale food service packaging today, or contact our team for advice about the best packaging options for your business and menu.
