Custom Flat Handle Paper Bags for Restaurant Carryout

What makes a flat handle bag different?

The handle is a flat strip of kraft paper folded into a loop. It is glued to the inside of the top edge. Nothing is threaded or knotted, and the outside stays smooth for printing.

Because the handles fold down flat, the bags stack tightly in a carton and under a counter. That matters in small kitchens where every shelf is full.

The base is usually wide and square. It suits food containers that must stay level, which is why carryout counters use this style so much.

Who uses flat handle paper bags?

Restaurants, pizzerias, sushi bars, burger joints and bakeries are the biggest buyers. Grocery stores and farm shops use them for prepared food and smaller shops. Coffee shops pick the smaller size for a pastry box and two cups in a carrier.

Our photos show two typical restaurant designs. One has a dark printed band across the base, the other a blue stripe with a small logo line.

They also suit retail when the bag needs to hold boxes flat. Cake boxes, shoe boxes and boxed gifts all ride level on the wide base.

Food trucks and market stalls like them for a practical reason. The bags fold flat into a small crate and open fast when a line forms.

What size flat handle bag fits my takeout containers?

Measure the footprint of your most common container, then the height of the stack you usually send out. The bag's width and gusset must take the footprint, with a little room to slide it in.

Square boxes, such as cakes or pies, need a gusset as deep as the box itself. If no standard size works, give us the box measurements and the bag can be made around them. For standard dimensions, see the US paper bag size chart in inches.

Flat handles or twisted handles for food?

Both work. Flat handles have a wider grip that sits flat in the hand, and they fold away neatly between orders.

Twisted handles are rounder and look more like a shopping bag. They suit restaurants that want a retail feel, or bags that double as merchandise.

Flat handles also leave the top of the bag open and square. That makes it quicker to slide in the last container or a drinks carrier.

For a fast pass station with stacked bags, most kitchens prefer flat handles. Our guide comparing paper bag handles covers every option side by side.

How heavy should the kraft be for carryout?

Food is dense. A few curries, a rice tray and two drinks outweigh a bag of clothing. Carryout bags therefore need heavier kraft than light retail bags.

We usually suggest something in the 90–115 gsm range for most restaurant orders, and heavier for family meals. Your quote states the weight so you can compare it with your current bag.

These numbers help you choose. They are not a rating of how much the bag holds, because heat, steam and packing affect paper too.

Packing tips for the pass station

The way bags are packed at the pass decides whether food arrives level and warm.

Write these rules on a card above the pass. New staff learn them in a shift, and complaints about spilled sauces drop quickly.

• Put the heaviest, flattest container on the base first.
• Stack hot over hot and keep cold items in their own bag.
• Lay sauce cups in the gaps, never on top of a lid.
• Leave the handles free; do not trap them under a box.
• Staple the receipt to the top fold, not through the handle.
• Set packed bags on a flat surface, never on their side.

Can a carryout bag handle heat and grease?

Kraft paper is not made to resist grease or liquid. Steam from hot containers can soften it, and oil can mark the outside panel.

Keep lids tight and wrap anything oily before it goes in. A cardboard tray or a folded napkin on the base helps catch drips.

A printed band near the base, like the one in our photos, also hides small marks. It looks better than a plain panel after a day on the counter.

Printing tips for restaurant bags

Most restaurants print a logo and a phone number or website. That is all a customer needs to order again.

A colored band around the base is a smart layout. It gives the bag a finished look, carries the brand color and hides scuffs from counters.

Delivery apps hide your brand behind their own label. A bold logo on both panels makes sure your name still reaches the door.

Keep text away from the top edge, where the handle patches sit on the inside. Upload your logo to Design Your Bag to see it on a photo before you ask for a quote. For more on print choices, read about logo printing on kraft carryout bags.

Mistakes restaurants make with carryout bags

Ordering a tall, narrow shopping bag for food is the classic error. Containers tilt, lids pop and sauces leak.

Another is using one size for all orders. A single drink in a family-size bag looks wasteful, and a family order in a small bag needs double bagging.

A third is skipping the measuring step. Take your actual containers to the tape measure before you pick a bag size.

Last, some kitchens store bags next to the fryer or dish area. Heat and steam there soften the paper before it is ever used.

How do I order flat handle bags?

After you approve the proof, your carryout run needs 4–6 business days. The cartons then move with tracking and arrive 2–3 business days later. Delivery is free anywhere in the US, UK, Canada or Australia.

Bags that arrive misprinted or damaged? Share photos with us within 10 days for a reprint or a refund. Every grocery and carryout style is listed in our grocery and carryout bag range.

1. Measure your containers and pick a size, or send your own.
2. Choose brown or white kraft.
3. Choose plain or printed, and how many colors.
4. Send your logo and receive the free design proof.
5. Approve it, and we start the run.