Packaging that works for a chicken tikka masala can fail for a crispy chilli beef. Sauce volume, temperature, steam, oil and whether the customer reheats the dish all change what the container needs to do. Below is what works for the UK's four biggest takeaway cuisines, based on what high-volume shops actually order.
Indian takeaways and restaurants
The challenge: wet, hot, oily sauces that stain and leak; rice and curry sold as separate items; chutneys and raita with every order.
- Curries: 650ml microwave containers for standard portions, 750ml for biryani and "large" options. Clear PP shows the dish and does not stain like foil. Customers reheat curry in the tub, so microwave safe matters.
- Rice and sides: 500ml containers. Keep rice separate so steam does not thin the sauce.
- Chutneys, raita, pickle: 2oz hinged pots for mint sauce and mango chutney; 4oz for raita and onion salad.
- Napkins: two 30x30cm napkins per order; curry is messy.
Chinese takeaways
The challenge: high volume of smaller items, very hot stir-fries, crispy items that go soft in steam, and heavy sauce use (curry sauce, sweet and sour).
- Mains and noodles: 650ml rectangular containers stack better than round tubs in a carrier bag and seal more reliably.
- Rice: 500ml for egg fried rice portions.
- Crispy items: keep crispy chilli beef, salt and pepper chips and spring rolls in a container that is not sealed airtight, or vent the lid, so steam escapes; pack sauces separately in sauce pots.
- Curry sauce and sweet and sour: 2oz for a chips portion, 4oz for a main.
Kebab and grill shops
The challenge: meat, salad and sauces in one order; two or three sauces per customer; late-night delivery times mean the food sits longer.
- Meat and salad boxes: 750ml or 1000ml containers for doner meat with salad; the extra depth stops salad being crushed by the lid.
- Sauces: the biggest line for a kebab shop. 2oz hinged pots for garlic, chilli and burger sauce; most shops use two pots per order and go through several cases a month.
- Chips: 650ml containers or open trays; vented so they stay crisp.
- Dips for sharing boxes: 4oz hummus and tzatziki.
Fish and chip shops
The challenge: keeping batter crisp; mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy sold in portions; lots of condiment pots.
- Fish and chips: traditionally boxed or wrapped so steam escapes; where a sealed container is used (for delivery platforms), use 1000ml and vent the lid.
- Mushy peas, curry sauce, gravy: this is where chip shops use the most pots. 2oz for a side of curry sauce; 4oz for a full portion of peas or gravy.
- Ketchup, mayo, tartare: 1oz pots.
- Napkins: one per order; grease-resistant 2-ply if you can.
Quick comparison
| Cuisine | Main container | Sides | Sauce pots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian | 650ml / 750ml | 500ml rice | 2oz chutney, 4oz raita |
| Chinese | 650ml | 500ml rice | 2oz / 4oz curry sauce |
| Kebab / grill | 750ml / 1000ml | 650ml chips | 2oz x2 per order, 4oz dips |
| Fish & chips | 1000ml (vented) | — | 1oz condiments, 2oz / 4oz sides |
Three rules that apply to every cuisine
- Separate wet from dry. Sauce in a pot, rice and crispy items in their own containers.
- Vent anything fried. A fully sealed lid turns chips soft in ten minutes.
- Standardise. Two container sizes and two pot sizes cover most menus and keep the stockroom simple. See the opening order checklist.
Order by the case or pallet
All Betapro containers and sauce pots are sold by the case with no trade account needed, and pallet pricing is available for busy shops and groups. Browse the full catering & takeaway packaging range.
Frequently asked questions
What container do Indian takeaways use for curry? Most now use 650ml or 750ml clear PP microwave containers with snap-on lids, replacing foil trays because they reheat and do not leak.
What size are Chinese takeaway containers? Rectangular 650ml for mains and 500ml for rice are the most common; 1000ml for family portions.
How many sauce pots does a kebab shop use? Typically two per order; a shop doing 400 orders a week uses roughly a case of 1,000 2oz pots every ten days.