
Varnish
A transparent finishing layer available in gloss, satin, or matte effects. It enhances the printed surface and adds an extra layer of visual appeal and light protection.
Custom hot dog trays in kraft, cardboard, corrugated or rigid stock, matched to your fill and how the tray actually gets handled. Orders start from 100 units.
An open hot dog tray is the same shape whichever material it’s cut from: kraft, cardboard, corrugated or rigid. What changes between them is how the tray holds up once it’s loaded and handled, and what it says about the brand serving from it.
A tray carrying one plain hot dog behaves differently to one loaded with chilli, cheese and extra toppings, and differently again once it’s been through a busy service and picked up, tilted or stacked a few times. Corrugated is the material ACP lists for shipping, produce and other heavier-duty formats, and fluted board’s added rigidity under load is well-established general packaging practice, not something specific to this shape. For a tray that’s going to be loaded heavy or handled roughly, that’s the practical case for leaning corrugated.
Where the tray isn’t under that kind of load, the choice between kraft and cardboard comes down to cost and presentation rather than structural need. Kraft reads as the casual, eco-positioned default, and it’s the more affordable option of the two. Cardboard, usually a white-faced or printed board, holds printed colour a little closer to the reference you chose, since kraft’s natural brown base mutes it slightly, which matters if an exact brand colour is doing real work on the tray. Kraft specifically, and how its material properties affect this exact shape, is covered in full on Kraft Hot Dog Tray, including sizing, which works the same way regardless of which of the four materials you land on.
Rigid stock is a genuine ACP capability, built for luxury, gift and premium presentation formats, and it comes with a higher minimum order and a longer production time to match. For a hot dog tray, that’s usually the wrong trade-off: this is a high-volume, single-use, fast-turnaround product for most sellers, and rigid’s cost and lead time work against exactly that. It’s worth choosing when the tray itself needs to do a genuinely premium, reusable job. Most hot dog services don’t. Rigid Food Packaging covers that material generally, for whoever that description actually fits.
Whichever material is chosen, the hot dog and its condiments sit in direct contact with the tray, so this is one decision every option has to pass regardless of strength, cost or colour. Board and coating can be selected to suit direct or indirect food contact depending on the specification. Food-contact material suitability is confirmed for the specific material before production. Allergen and nutritional labelling stays your business’s responsibility.
Orders start from 100 units. Design support is free. A digital 3D mock-up is free. It shows your branding on the actual material and finish you’ve chosen, before a full run is committed. Standard production takes 6 to 8 business days after approval. UK delivery is free. There are no setup fees.
An unlaminated paperboard or kraft construction may be easier to process through suitable paper-recycling streams than a heavily laminated alternative. Rigid stock adds a separate complication: it generally bonds more than one material together, and how easily a facility can separate those layers, not just what either material is on its own, affects how much of the tray actually gets recycled. We can talk you through the considerations for the material you’re weighing up.
To compare every food box style in the category, see Custom Food Boxes.
| Box Style | All Custom Packaging |
| Dimension | All Custom Sizes & Shapes |
| Quantities | 100-unit minimum order |
| Paper Stock | Kraft, corrugated, rigid board, cardstock |
| Printing | CMYK, Pantone, digital and offset |
| Finishing | Gloss, matte, spot UV, embossing, foiling |
| Shipping | Free delivery options |
Choose from premium coating, board, printing and finishing options for your insert boxes.

A transparent finishing layer available in gloss, satin, or matte effects. It enhances the printed surface and adds an extra layer of visual appeal and light protection.

A UV-cured coating applied to specific areas of the design to create gloss or matte contrast and draw attention to important details.

A smooth, velvety coating that creates a soft tactile feel and gives packaging a refined luxury look. It improves the unboxing experience and supports a high-end product presentation.

A soft, smooth lamination with a refined satin-like finish. It gives packaging a premium feel while keeping the surface elegant, subtle, and easy to handle.

A high-gloss UV coating applied only to selected design areas to create sharp contrast, highlight logos, and add a premium visual effect without coating the whole surface.

A clear, fast-drying water-based coating that adds a smooth protective layer while maintaining a clean and professional surface finish. It is a practical choice for everyday printed packaging.

A durable protective film that helps reduce visible scratches, scuffs, fingerprints, and daily handling marks. It keeps packaging looking clean, polished, and premium for longer.

A bleached kraft paperboard made from a mix of virgin and recycled pulp, offering a clean white surface for crisp and polished packaging designs.

A natural kraft paperboard without coating, made from virgin and recycled pulp. It provides a raw, organic appearance with sturdy packaging strength.

A premium bleached paperboard coated on both sides, designed for excellent print quality, die-cutting, and professional packaging results.

A high-quality bleached paperboard coated on one side. It provides a clean printable face with a premium packaging feel.

A smooth printable paper stock that supports high-resolution graphics, clean text, and rich color output for refined packaging presentation.

A natural kraft paperboard made from strong virgin and recycled pulp. It provides an organic, earthy look for sustainable and simple packaging.

A specialty paperboard with a laminated metallic surface available in gold, silver, and other premium finishes for luxury visual impact.

A specialty paperboard with a laminated holographic surface that creates a reflective, rainbow-like appearance for eye-catching product packaging.

A recycled duplex paperboard with a white printable surface. It is ideal for economical packaging that still requires clean graphics and brand presentation.

A kraft board with a smooth clay-coated white face for quality printing and a natural kraft reverse side for a strong, authentic appearance.

A kraft paperboard with a clay-coated printable top surface and a natural unbleached kraft back. It balances clean branding with a rustic natural look.

A duplex paperboard made with recycled pulp and a coated white printable surface. It delivers smooth print results for affordable carton packaging.

A black-dyed kraft board with a natural paper texture and excellent strength. It creates a bold, premium look for luxury and specialty packaging.

A packaging technique where a die-cut opening is covered with a transparent film, allowing the product inside to remain visible while staying protected.

An embossing technique where the raised design is precisely aligned with printed artwork to improve detail, texture, and overall presentation.

A finishing process in which heat and pressure transfer metallic foil to the surface, creating a premium, shiny, and luxurious effect.

A premium finishing method that combines embossing with foil stamping to create a raised design with metallic color and strong visual impact.

A decorative process that transfers foil onto selected areas of the surface using UV-curable adhesive, creating a bright metallic effect with sharp detail.

A technique that raises a design from the surface without ink or foil, giving packaging a clean, elegant, and textured appearance.

A finishing technique that presses a design into the material to create a recessed impression without using ink or foil. It adds subtle depth and a refined tactile effect.

A fast-curing printing process that uses ultraviolet light to dry ink instantly, delivering sharp detail, vibrant colors, and a premium finish.

A durable printing method that uses a mesh screen and stencil to apply ink to surfaces. It is ideal for bold colors and high-impact packaging designs.

A traditional high-quality printing process that transfers designs from plates to a rubber blanket before printing, making it ideal for large-volume production.

A modern printing method that does not require printing plates, making it cost-effective and efficient for short runs, sample production, and small-batch quantities.

Built with three corrugated layers between four linerboard sheets, providing heavy-duty strength for large or industrial packaging needs.

A standard corrugated structure with one fluted medium and two linerboards, providing dependable strength for everyday packaging.

A corrugated sheet with one flute layer between two liners, offering lightweight strength for protective packaging.

An ultra-thin flute grade designed for lightweight packaging, small retail boxes, and high-quality printed presentation.

A slim flute grade with a flatter surface, ideal for detailed printing, display packaging, and premium retail boxes.

Made with two layers of corrugated medium between linerboard sheets, offering added strength and durability for heavier products.

A versatile corrugated flute that offers balanced compression strength, cushioning, and printability for many packaging applications.

A thinner flute grade with a smooth surface, making it suitable for high-quality printing, precise die-cutting, and neat retail packaging.

A thick corrugated flute profile that provides excellent cushioning, compression strength, and stacking support for protective packaging.

A coated linerboard with an off-white surface, suitable for high-quality printing and a refined packaging appearance.

An unbleached kraft linerboard made from recycled paper pulp, offering a natural look with strong durability for eco-conscious packaging.

A coated semi-gloss linerboard with a smooth white surface, ideal for sharp printing, premium presentation, and retail-ready packaging.

A fully bleached corrugated board with a bright white surface, designed to produce clean, vibrant, and high-quality printed packaging.

A UV-cured ink that dries instantly under ultraviolet light and creates crisp, high-quality print results on a wide range of packaging materials.

A plant-based ink made with soybean oil, offering rich color output and a more sustainable printing option for carton packaging.

A standardized color-matching system used to achieve consistent, accurate brand colors across packaging, labels, and printed materials.

A full-color printing process using cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks to create vibrant images, gradients, and detailed packaging artwork.
Real feedback from customers who trust us with their custom packaging.
Clear answers about ordering, artwork, production, materials and delivery.
Depends on the fill and the handling. A heavier, loaded tray or a busy, high-volume service suits corrugated's added strength. A lighter, everyday tray comes down to kraft versus cardboard on cost and colour. Tell us roughly how it's being used and we can point you to the right one.
Yes. Kraft's natural brown base mutes printed colour slightly, especially pale tones, while a white-faced cardboard holds closer to your exact reference. How much that matters depends entirely on whether an exact brand colour is doing real work on the tray.
Not usually, no. Rigid suits luxury and reusable presentation formats, and it comes with a higher minimum order and longer production time to match. For a typical single-use, high-volume hot dog tray, that trade-off rarely pays off unless the presentation itself needs to be genuinely premium.
No, that isn't a confirmed standard specification for any of these four materials. Flag it directly at quote stage if it's a genuine requirement, since it isn't something to assume.
Orders start from 100 units. Standard production takes 6 to 8 business days after approval. UK delivery is free.