Printed Paper Portion Cups for Measured Servings

What portion cups are for

A portion cup is about control. Every customer gets the same amount of coleslaw, nuts or croutons, and the kitchen knows exactly how much stock a day of service uses.

They also make small extras feel like a proper part of the meal. A side of pickles in its own cup looks deliberate, while the same pickles piled on a plate look like an afterthought.

Our photos show the pleated white style holding shredded salad, pistachios and ketchup. That shape folds out slightly as it is filled, which makes it easy to spoon food in quickly.

• Side dishes such as coleslaw, beans and pickles
• Tasting samples at markets and delis
• Toppings and extras on a lunch counter
• Pre-measured ingredients for a prep line
• Nuts, olives and bar snacks

Who orders them

Restaurants with a set menu use portion cups to keep side dishes consistent between chefs. Delis and cheese shops hand out tasters in them so a queue can try three or four products.

Market traders and farm shops are another big group. Tasting cups move customers from looking to buying, and a printed cup reminds them where the sample came from.

Care home and school kitchens order them for measured sides at lunch. Staff can see at a glance that every plate got the same serving.

Pleated or straight wall

Pleated portion cups have folded walls, as you can see in our photos. They are light, stack tightly and suit dry or chunky food such as nuts, salad and sweets.

Straight-sided cups have a smooth wall that takes print and a flat lid. They are the better choice for wet sides or anything that needs to travel.

Printing works best on the straight style. If branding matters more than speed of filling, start there.

How much fits in each size

Portion cups are small, and the difference between sizes matters. A 2oz cup holds a spoonful of topping, while a 4oz cup holds a small side salad.

Weigh your usual serving, then pick the cup that holds it with a little space at the top. Overfilled cups spill when staff carry them, which wastes the stock you were trying to control.

If you are working out a whole range, our paper cup size guide for the UK lists capacities side by side.

• 2oz: croutons, seeds, grated cheese, a single taster
• 3oz: coleslaw, olives, pickles, nuts
• 4oz: small salad, beans, fruit pieces

Using portion cups on a prep line

Chefs use portion cups for mise en place, setting out each measured ingredient before service. The cups line up on a tray, and every dish gets the same amount without weighing.

That habit saves real money. When each topping is pre-portioned, kitchens stop the slow drift of slightly larger servings that eats into the margin over a month.

For prep use, plain white cups are usually enough. Many kitchens print only the cups that reach the customer and keep plain ones for the line.

Stack filled cups on a sheet tray with a damp cloth over them until service. They stay fresh and are ready to tip straight into the dish.

Printing on a portion cup wall

A portion cup wall is only a few centimetres tall, so the design must be simple. A short name or an icon reads far better than a full logo with a tagline.

Print runs in full colour CMYK or Pantone, on one side, two sides or a full wrap. We accept AI, PDF, EPS, SVG, PNG and JPG files for these small cups.

Not sure how small your logo can go? Our team gives free design help, and the guide to designing a printed cup covers line weights and text sizes.

Running a tasting table

Tasting tables are where printed portion cups really pay off. People often carry a sample cup around a market for a while, and your name goes with it.

Pre-fill a tray before the busy hour so staff can talk to customers rather than scoop. Put a small bin next to the table, or empty cups end up on the stall next door.

Want to see a name on such a small wall before ordering? Try a layout on our free cup design preview tool.

• Keep tasters to 2oz so customers try more than one
• Label each tray with the product name
• Refill little and often so samples look fresh
• Have the full-size product within reach of the table

Placing a portion cup order

Portion cups are quoted from £0.25 per cup, confirmed in writing before you commit. Send your sizes through the portion cup quote request.

1. Decide which sizes you need and whether each is pleated or straight.
2. Tell us which cups should be printed and which stay plain.
3. Send artwork, or let our designers set out a simple version for free.
4. Check the digital proof and ask for as many changes as you need.
5. Production starts on approval and takes 4 to 6 working days, with tracked delivery taking 2 to 3 more.

Portion cups and sauce pots

Portion cups and sauce pots overlap, but they are bought for different jobs. Portion cups measure servings, often for food eaten on the premises.

Sauce pots are built for dips that travel, so a lid that fits matters more than the measure. If your cups mostly leave the building with ketchup in them, look at our printed sauce pots with lids instead.

Portion cup mistakes to avoid

The most common mistake is printing every cup, including the ones only chefs see. Splitting the order into printed and plain keeps costs down.

Another is choosing pleated cups for wet food going out for delivery. The folds do not take a lid well, so dressings end up in the bag.

Last, some buyers order only one size. A 2oz and a 4oz together cover far more of a menu than a 3oz alone.

Too few cups is the last trap. Portion cups run out faster than drinks cups because one meal can use two or three.

• Printing cups that stay in the kitchen
• Pleated cups for wet takeaway sides
• One size for every portion
• A full logo squeezed onto a tiny wall

Delivery of portion cups and reprints

Portion cups ship free to the UK, tracked from dispatch.

If any cups are misprinted or arrive damaged, send pictures within 10 days of receiving them. We will reprint or refund those portion cups.