Sizing a pizza box is the easy part: the box matches the pie diameter, and the depth is set by how tall your highest-topping pie sits. Everything after that is board grade, print and cost per unit, and those are where pizzerias overspend. To configure and order, use the custom pizza boxes product page. This guide is for deciding what to put on it.
Box footprint by pie size
| Pie diameter | Common box footprint | Typical depth |
|---|---|---|
| 10 inch | 10 x 10 | 1.5 to 1.75 in |
| 12 inch | 12 x 12 | 1.75 to 2 in |
| 14 inch | 14 x 14 | 1.75 to 2 in |
| 16 inch | 16 x 16 | 1.75 to 2 in |
| 18 inch | 18 x 18 | 2 in |
These are the footprints buyers ask for most, not fixed stock sizes. Because the cutting die is included on iBox orders, an odd size for a rectangular or half-and-half pie costs no more per unit than a common one.
Board grade and why depth matters
Pizza boxes are single wall corrugated. A finer flute gives a smoother print surface and a thinner wall, a coarser flute gives more stiffness so a stack of five delivery boxes does not sag in a hot bag. Depth is the dimension people get wrong: a deep dish or a loaded pie needs the extra quarter inch, and a box that touches the cheese on the lid is a refund waiting to happen. Vent holes on the side walls let steam out so the base does not go soft in transit.
Printing on brown board
The economics of pizza packaging push toward one or two colors printed directly onto kraft corrugated. Ink sinks into the brown fibers and reads warmer than it does on screen, so bold shapes, a solid logo and large type hold up far better than fine reverse detail or photographic images. If you want a full color box, litho lamination gives you that, at a higher unit cost.
Food that sits directly on the board changes the board and coating specification, so flag direct contact on your quote request and confirm the requirements that apply where you sell.
Folding and storage in a working kitchen
Pizza boxes ship flat and get folded during service, so the score quality matters more than it does on a box someone opens once. A blank that fights the person folding it costs seconds on every order at peak. Store flat stock off the floor and keep it wrapped until you need it, because corrugated absorbs moisture from a hot kitchen and damp board folds badly and loses stiffness.
Minimum, price and lead time
The minimum is 100 boxes, which is low enough to test a new size or a seasonal design without committing to a pallet. Pricing starts at about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes and is confirmed on your written quote, because pizza boxes move on size and board more than on anything else.
Turnaround is quoted per product in three lanes: Rush (expedited production plus air freight), Standard (air) and Cost saver (sea) for shops ordering months of stock at once. Production runs from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 days for delivery, and specialty items can reach about 12 weeks. Dies, plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof are included.
Ordering
Send pie sizes, monthly volume and artwork through the quote form. If you are still fixing the footprint, the pizza box dimensions reference goes deeper on measurement, and wholesale pizza boxes covers ordering at volume for multiple locations.
