Every takeaway coffee that leaves your café is a small billboard walking down the street — and a chance for the experience to feel considered or cheap. Getting your packaging right is part product protection, part branding, and part sustainability. This checklist runs through everything a coffee shop needs, sized and chosen well. It is part of our guide to eco-friendly food packaging.
Cups — hot and cold are different
Coffee packaging starts with the cup, and hot and cold need different things:
- Hot cups — single or double-wall paper cups for coffee and tea. Double-wall (or a sleeve) protects hands from heat. A 12oz paper cup is a common everyday size.
- Cold cups — clear PLA or paper cups for iced drinks, so the drink shows.
Stock a small range of sizes (e.g. 8/12/16oz) to match your menu — a flat white and a large iced latte want different cups. Matching the cup to the size keeps drinks looking full and right.
Lids — match them to the cup
The most common café packaging mistake is mismatched lids. Lids are sized to the cup rim (e.g. 80mm, 90mm), so order the right lid for each cup size. Choose sip lids for hot drinks and dome lids for cold drinks with toppings. A lid that does not fit leaks — the fastest way to a bad takeaway experience.
Sleeves — comfort and branding in one
A cup sleeve does two jobs: it protects hands from a hot single-wall cup, and it is a prime branding surface. A branded sleeve turns a plain cup into a walking advert at low cost, and lets you brand even if your cups are plain stock. For single-wall hot cups, sleeves are essential; for double-wall, they are an optional branding upgrade.
The extras that complete the experience
- Napkins — branded or plain napkins for every order.
- Cup carriers / trays — for multi-drink orders, so customers (and delivery riders) can carry two or four cups safely.
- Stirrers and straws — paper or PLA straws for cold drinks.
- Bags — kraft bags for pastries and to-go food alongside the drinks.
These small items are what make a takeaway feel finished rather than thrown together.
A quick café packaging checklist
- Hot cups (2–3 sizes) + matching sip lids.
- Cold cups + matching dome lids.
- Sleeves (essential for single-wall).
- Napkins.
- Cup carriers for multi-drink orders.
- Straws and stirrers.
- Kraft bags for food.
- Branding across cups or sleeves for a takeaway billboard.
Choose eco materials throughout — see bagasse vs PLA vs paper — and brand them well (see custom-printed cups). Browse the packaging range.
Frequently asked questions
What packaging does a coffee shop need? Hot and cold cups in a few sizes, matching lids, sleeves, napkins, cup carriers, straws and bags — ideally branded and eco-friendly.
How do I choose the right lid? Match it to the cup rim size (e.g. 80mm/90mm) and the drink — sip lids for hot, dome lids for cold with toppings. A mismatched lid leaks.
Do I need cup sleeves? Essential for single-wall hot cups (heat protection) and a great branding surface; optional on double-wall cups.
How do I make takeaway cups eco-friendly? Use paper hot cups, PLA/paper cold cups, paper straws and recyclable sleeves and bags. See the packaging range.
