Cardboard Cups with Lids for Stalls and Food Vans

What people mean by a cardboard cup

In everyday UK speech, a cardboard cup is any disposable cup made from board. The trade name is paperboard, and it is the same material used for most takeaway coffee cups.

When buyers search for cardboard cups, they often picture a brown cup with a black lid. That look comes from unbleached kraft board, and it is the most requested finish on this page.

We also print on white board when a brand needs bright colours. If you are weighing up the brown look on its own, our kraft coffee cups page covers it in more depth.

Who uses cardboard cups with lids

This style is popular with traders who work outside. A lid stops rain, leaves and grit from landing in a drink, and a firm board wall copes with cold hands.

Farm shops and garden centres like the natural board because it sits well next to fresh produce. Mobile coffee vans use it because it looks the part at a weekend market.

Sports clubs are another regular buyer. Half-time tea at a rugby or football ground needs a cup that can be carried back to the stand without burning fingers or spilling on the steps.

• Coffee vans and horseboxes
• Farmers' markets and street food stalls
• Garden centre cafés
• Sports grounds and park kiosks
• Outdoor event caterers

Kraft board or white board

Kraft board gives a warm, plain base. One or two strong ink colours look sharp on it, while pale colours fade into the brown.

White board is a blank canvas. It shows photographs, gradients and light brand colours exactly as they appear on screen.

The table below sets out how each finish behaves once a lid goes on.

Wall strength for outdoor service

Outdoors, a cup is often held for a long time. Customers stand in a queue, walk round a market and finish the drink twenty minutes later.

A double or ripple wall keeps the outside cooler and stays rigid when the cup is squeezed. Ripple board adds a ridged grip that helps with gloves, and you can see it on our ripple wall coffee cups.

Single wall still works for short service, such as a drink handed over and drunk at a nearby table. Pair it with a sleeve if your drinks are very hot.

In cold weather, a thicker wall also helps the drink stay warm for longer. That matters to a customer who buys a hot chocolate before a long walk round the stalls.

Getting a lid that stays put

A van counter moves, a market table wobbles, and drinks get knocked. A lid that clicks firmly onto the rim saves you from remaking spilled orders.

We match lids to the rim of each cup we print, and check the fit again if you switch board or wall. Black lids are the common choice on kraft, while white lids suit white board.

Ask for both cups and lids in the same quote. That way the two arrive together and your opening day is not held up by a missing box.

If you trade from a van, store lids in a closed box rather than an open shelf. Dust and damp can warp a stack of lids over a long season, and warped lids fit badly.

Designing for a brown or white board

Brown board changes how ink looks. The brown shows through the colour, so pale greens, pinks and yellows will appear darker than on white board.

Bold shapes and thick type read well from a distance, which helps when your cup is seen across a busy field. Keep detail large enough to survive a curved surface.

For a step-by-step approach, read how to design a printed coffee cup. You will get a free digital proof either way, revised until you approve it.

Choosing sizes for a small menu

Vans and stalls rarely have room for five sizes. Two sizes with lids cover most menus, and a third can be added for big drinks.

An 8oz cup handles flat whites and small hot chocolates. A 12oz cup covers lattes and tea, and a 16oz cup suits iced drinks in summer.

Keeping the range small also makes stocking easier in a tight space. Fewer sizes mean fewer lid boxes rattling around in the van.

Watch your sales for the first month and adjust. If the 16oz barely moves outside summer, order fewer of them next time and put the space towards the size that sells.

When market shoppers ask about recycling

Shoppers at markets often ask whether a board cup can be recycled. The honest answer depends on the lining and on the local council collection.

You can ask for a recyclable lining when you request a price, and we will explain what it means for your cups. Our recyclable paper cups page explains the choices in plain terms.

Avoid printing green claims on the cup that you cannot back up. A simple line asking customers to check local recycling advice is safer and still helpful.

Ordering cardboard cups with lids

The steps are short, and nothing is printed until you have signed off the proof. Production and delivery together usually take under two weeks.

Seasonal traders should order a few weeks before their first big event. That leaves time for a second proof round if you change your mind about the board.

1. Choose kraft or white board and pick your sizes.
2. Say which wall you want and whether lids should be black or white.
3. Upload a logo in AI, PDF, EPS, SVG, PNG or JPG.
4. Approve your free proof once every detail looks right.
5. Receive cups and lids together on a free, tracked UK delivery.

Common mistakes with board cups

The most common slip is choosing a pale brand colour for kraft board, then being surprised by the proof. Ask us to show you the effect before you commit.

Another is buying lids from a different source to save a few pence. A poor fit costs far more in spilled drinks on a windy day.

A third mistake is ordering exactly what you think you need for the first event. Running out by mid-afternoon at a busy show is worse than storing a few spare boxes.

If you are not sure which board to pick, talk to our team about it. We reply within one working day.