16 Inch Pizza Boxes for Family Size and Party Orders

Who sells 16 inch pizzas?

A 16 inch pizza is the largest size on most UK takeaway menus. It is the one families order for a night in and the one offices order for a shared lunch.

Pizzerias and takeaways sell it as the family size. Pubs that serve pizza use it on match days, when one pizza goes round a table of four or five. Dark kitchens often list it as a sharing deal with sides.

Street food vans and market stalls sell fewer, as their ovens are often sized for smaller bases. Where they do offer it, it tends to be a pre-order for a party. You can see how it compares with smaller sizes in our full Pizza Boxes by Size range.

What size box does a 16 inch pizza need?

A 16 inch pizza (406 mm) goes in a box 16.25 x 16.25 x 1.75 in (413 x 413 x 44 mm). That is a quarter inch over the pizza across the inside, with 1.75 in of depth.

The quarter inch matters more at this size than at 9 or 10 inch. A large base bends on the peel, and a tight box bunches the edge as it goes in. Too loose, and the pizza slides about on the way to the door.

Deep pan at 16 inch needs more height, and we make that box to the size you send. For every standard size side by side, see our guide to pizza box sizes in inches and mm.

Which board suits a 16 inch box?

We suggest B-flute (about 3 mm) for 14 and 16 inch boxes that go out for delivery. A lid this wide needs the thicker wall, or it can sag onto the cheese when boxes are stacked.

B-flute also keeps warmth in a touch longer than E-flute (about 1.5 mm), simply because there is more board between the pizza and the air.

E-flute still works for counter collection, where the box goes from the oven to a car seat in minutes. It folds quickly and takes fine print a little more crisply. Our E-flute vs B-flute pizza boxes guide sets out the trade-offs.

• B-flute in white: a clean lid for full colour print, made for delivery runs
• B-flute in brown kraft: a plain or one-colour look, also made for delivery
• E-flute in white or kraft: a slimmer wall for collection-only orders

Printing on the lid and sides

The lid of a 16 inch box is the biggest printed surface you hand a customer. It sits on a kitchen table for the length of a film, so it is worth using well.

One colour red on brown kraft gives a warm, hand-stamped look and keeps the cost down. Two colours let you add a dark outline or a phone number. Full colour suits a photo or a pattern running edge to edge on white board.

Print can also go on the four side walls, where it shows in a stack, and inside the lid, where the customer sees it on opening. Matt or gloss varnish is an option on full colour. Start your artwork on the Design Your Pizza Box page.

How does steam leave a 16 inch box?

A large pizza gives off a lot of steam in its first few minutes out of the oven. Trapped, that steam softens the base and leaves the inside of the lid damp.

Our boxes have small vent holes punched near the corners of the lid. Steam escapes there while most of the warmth stays inside. On a box this size, the vents sit well clear of the pizza edge.

A board liner under the base takes up oil and lifts the crust a little off the box floor. It is a simple extra for thin, crisp bases that travel a long way.

How does it fold and lock?

Each box arrives as one flat sheet, already creased and cut. Even at 413 mm square, the sheet comes together by hand in seconds and needs no glue or tape.

1. Lay the sheet printed side down, with the lid panel furthest from you.
2. Fold up the front wall and both side walls of the base along the creases.
3. Push each corner flap in behind the side walls so the wide 16 inch base keeps its square shape.
4. Fold the lid over and push the front tuck-in flap down inside the front wall.
5. Check the flap sits flush, then add the box to the stack for the next order.

The tuck-in flap has a thumb notch, so the customer can open it without tearing the board. Once tucked, the lid stays shut while the box is carried flat.

How many 16 inch boxes fit in a delivery bag?

That depends on the inside of your bag, not the box. A box 413 mm square needs a bag at least that wide across its inside floor, with a little spare for the driver's hands.

Most bags made for large pizzas take three to five 16 inch boxes stacked flat. Measure the inside height, divide by 44 mm, then leave a gap so the top lid is not pressed down.

B-flute walls keep their shape better at the bottom of a stack of four. When a family order comes with sides, put the side boxes on top, never under the pizza.

How is a 16 inch pizza cut for the box?

Most shops cut a 16 inch pizza into 8 or 12 slices. Eight gives big wedges for a family table. Twelve gives smaller pieces that are easier to share at a party.

For office lunches and children's parties, some cut it into a square grid instead. That gives small pieces from the middle and crust pieces from the edge, so nobody needs a plate.

Cut on the peel or a board before boxing, not inside the box. A wheel run hard across the box floor scores the board and can let oil through to the table.

Mistakes to avoid with 16 inch boxes

A few small errors cost the most at this size, because each pizza is your biggest ticket.

• Choosing E-flute for long delivery runs, then finding the lids sag in the bag
• Using 14 inch boxes to save shelf space and crushing the crust of a 16 inch pizza
• Placing small print near the lid vents, where a hole can cut through a letter
• Storing flat sheets on the floor by the sink, where damp gets into the board
• Folding a whole day's boxes at once and running out of room beside the oven

Fold enough for the first rush, then top up the stack between orders.

How they arrive and stack beside the oven

Boxes come flat in bundles, sent by free tracked UK mainland delivery in 2 to 3 working days.

A flat 16 inch sheet is wide, so plan a shelf or wall rack that takes it without bending. Keep the bundles dry and off the floor.

Fold a stack before service and keep it on the counter beside the oven, lid side up. Whoever is on the peel can lift the top box, open it and slide the pizza straight in.

How do you order 16 inch pizza boxes?

Tell us the board, the colour and the print, and send your artwork if you have it. We reply by email within one working day with a price for your quantity.

Prices start from £0.25 a box. Minimums are low and set per job, so a single shop can order as easily as a busy kitchen.

You get a free design proof, and nothing is printed until you approve it. Production takes 4 to 6 working days after approval.

Misprints or damage reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded. When you are ready, request a quote for 16 inch boxes.