Gable boxes have the handle built right into the top, so people carry them out like a tiny shopping bag. We see them used for takeout and party favors mostly, plus bakery stuff. Kraft or white paperboard, they store flat, and the bottom locks when you open them up.
Your time is very important to us so we have kept it short.
That little box with the pointy roof and a handle punched through the top, the one your kid brings home from every birthday party? Yep, that one. Custom gable boxes do two jobs at once: they hold the product and they carry it, which is why they’re so popular for anything a customer takes home in one hand.
Restaurants put kids’ meals and fried chicken in them, bakeries load them up with cupcakes and muffins, and event planners order tiny ones for favors (shops use them for gift-with-purchase stuff too). What everyone’s after is pretty simple: a container that looks good, carries easily and doesn’t need a separate bag.
There’s no separate handle. The two roof panels come up, meet in the middle and hook together, and the hole cut through both of them is where your fingers go, so you don’t need glue or string or anything. Underneath, most of ours have a lock or auto bottom that drops into place as you open the box. Doesn’t fall through.
Fair warning, though. A small one in regular paperboard is fine for cookies or a sandwich, but we’ve seen two pounds of fried chicken rip straight through the handle cutout, so for heavy loads we’d go to a stiffer board or beef up the roof panels. Just tell us what’s going in and about what it weighs.
Takeout places nearly always want kraft. Grease spots don’t show as badly on brown, a coated inside helps with the oily stuff, and we’d punch a few vent holes so the fries aren’t soggy by the time they get home. Mostly noodles and rice? Then honestly our Chinese takeout boxes are probably the better fit.
Bakeries go white or kraft, and they like a window. Cupcakes need an insert. Skip it and the frosting ends up on the walls. For a dedicated style, see our custom cupcake boxes. Party favor boxes tend to be tiny, a few inches tall, and often use bright full color print, ribbon through the handle, or a foil logo.
Kraft gives an earthy, handmade feel and suits food and natural products. White SBS paperboard shows bright colors and photos at their best, ideal for kids’ meals and gift boxes. Both fold flat, so a stack of a few hundred fits on a shelf behind the counter.
The two roof panels are the most visible part, so that’s where the logo usually goes. The sides are handy for a short menu or a QR code, or just a thank you and your Instagram handle. Finishes go from plain matte or gloss up to spot UV, gold or silver foil and embossing, if you want to go that far. If you’re not sure about size, our gift box sizes guide lists common dimensions. More box shapes sit in our by style collection.
Minimums are low, often around 50 boxes depending on the style, with per box pricing dropping as quantities rise. Design help is free, you’ll get a digital proof before printing, and standard production takes 10 to 12 business days after approval. Ask for a quote with your size and what’s going inside.
Standard paperboard gable boxes handle light loads like baked goods or snacks comfortably. For heavier food or products, we use stiffer board so the handle doesn’t tear.
Yes, especially in kraft with a coated inner layer. Vent holes help release steam so fried items stay crisp.
They ship flat. You fold up the base, raise the side panels and lock the handle at the top, which takes a few seconds once you’ve done a couple.
Brands ordering these often look at custom sleeve boxes, custom tray packaging, custom snap lock boxes and custom auto lock bottom boxes as well. You can see the full range in by style.
