Cooler bags # Food Delivery Bags: Specs for Restaurants and Delivery Fleets By the Eggroll Bags export deskPublished 16 October 2026Updated 16 October 20267 min read [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eggrollbags.com%2Fblog%2Ffood-delivery-bags-guide%2F) **The short answer:** A good food delivery bag combines a thick closed-cell foam wall, a wipe-clean welded or foil liner, a rigid base and a well-sealed closure, sized to the boxes it carries. Pizza bags should be the box size plus 1–2 cm; bike couriers need a backpack with rigid panels and reflective trim. Insulation slows heat loss; it does not hold a set temperature. A food delivery bag is a working tool, not a gift item. It gets loaded dozens of times a shift, strapped to bikes and scooters, rained on, wiped down with sanitiser and judged by customers on whether the pizza arrives hot and the box arrives flat. This guide covers how restaurants, dark kitchens and delivery fleets should specify a thermal bag: sizes for pizza and mixed orders, hot versus cold insulation, backpack versus carrier formats, and the details that decide whether a bag lasts a season or a month. ## What makes a good food delivery bag? A good food delivery bag holds the order flat and secure, keeps hot food hot (or cold food cold) for the length of the trip, wipes clean in seconds, and survives daily loading. Insulation, an easy-clean liner, a rigid base and a closure that seals well matter more than features. In practice the brief comes down to five questions: what goes inside, how long is the typical trip, what vehicle carries it, how it is cleaned, and whose brand goes on the outside. Answer those and most of the specification writes itself. ## Food delivery bag types compared Most insulated food delivery bags fall into four formats. Choose by the dominant order type and the vehicle, not by appearance. | Format | Best for | Key construction points | Watch-outs | | Insulated pizza bag (flat, top- or side-loading) | Pizza boxes, flat trays | Internal size matched to box plus 1–2 cm; rigid base; wide zip or hook-and-loop flap | Too large and boxes slide; too tight and lids crush | | Insulated food carrier / catering bag (box tote) | Restaurant takeaway, catering trays | Thick foam walls, wipe-clean liner, reinforced handles | Handles must carry the full load; test them | | Food delivery backpack | Bike, e-bike and walking couriers | Padded straps, rigid internal panels, reflective trim, rain flap | Weight distribution; contents must stay level | | Top-box liner or motorcycle delivery bag | Scooter and motorcycle fleets | Shaped to the vehicle mount; waterproof outer | Mount compatibility is a separate engineering brief | Our nearest catalogue starting points are the [37.5 × 13 × 36.5 cm food delivery cooler bag](https://www.eggrollbags.com/products/food-delivery-picnic-cooler-bag-wholesale/) in 600D polyester with PEVA lining and the larger [42 × 19.5 × 26 cm delivery and picnic cooler](https://www.eggrollbags.com/products/beach-cooler-bags-picnic-delivery-custom/). We do not list a dedicated pizza bag or motorcycle top-box liner as a catalogue model; those are made to a brief on the same insulated construction. ## Pizza delivery bag sizes: how to get them right Size an insulated pizza bag from the box, not the pizza. Measure the outer box, stack the number you deliver most often, and add 1–2 cm to length and width and around 1 cm per box to height. Pizza boxes are usually a little larger than the nominal pizza: a box for a 12-inch (30 cm) pizza commonly measures around 31–32 cm square, and a 16-inch box around 41–42 cm. Boxes vary between box suppliers, so always measure your own. A few practical rules: - Design for the most common order, not the largest. A bag that fits five large pizzas carries one with a lot of cold air around it. - Use a rigid base board so the stack does not sag and the top box does not crush the cheese. - Side-loading pizza bags are quicker to load in a busy kitchen; top-loading bags seal better. - If you deliver two sizes, a removable divider or two bag sizes beats one oversize bag. ## Thermal bags for hot food versus cold food The same insulation slows heat flow in both directions, so one well-built thermal bag can carry hot or cold food. What changes is how you manage moisture: hot food releases steam, cold food attracts condensation. For hot food delivery bags, think about: - **Venting.** Steam trapped in a sealed bag softens crusts and fried food. A small closable vent or a breathable panel in the lid helps crisp items; soups and curries prefer a fully sealed bag. - **Liner choice.** Foil-faced liners reflect radiant heat and are easy to wipe. PEVA and TPU liners can be welded for a leak-proof base, which matters with sauces. - **Heat-resistant materials.** Hot boxes sit directly on the liner. Confirm the liner tolerates the temperature of your hottest dish straight from the oven and ask for food-contact migration testing on the liner for your market. - **Separation.** If fleets carry drinks and desserts with hot meals, a divider or a second insulated compartment stops cold items warming. Food-safety rules on holding temperatures differ by country, and hot-holding guidance in many markets sits around 60–63 °C. A bag slows cooling; it does not hold food at a set temperature. Keep any temperature claim tied to a timed test, as explained in our [guide to cooler bag insulation materials](https://www.eggrollbags.com/blog/cooler-bag-insulation-guide/). The same principle explains a related search, the breast milk thermal bag: it is simply a small cold-carrying insulated bag. For that use we point buyers to our [insulated multi-function baby bag with foil lining](https://www.eggrollbags.com/products/diaper-storage-bag-for-baby-multi-function-use/). ## Food delivery backpacks for bike and motorcycle couriers A delivery backpack must keep food level, ride stable at speed and be seen at night. Rigid side and base panels, padded straps with a chest strap, reflective trim and a rain flap over the zip are the core features. Points we raise on every bike delivery bag or food delivery backpack brief: - **Rigid inserts.** Removable boards keep the shape when empty and protect boxes when full. Removable means they can come out for cleaning. - **Expandable sections.** A zip-out extension lets one bicycle delivery bag carry a single meal or a family order. - **Visibility.** Reflective tape or printed reflective panels on the back and sides. Specify the material, not just "reflective". - **Weather.** PU- or PVC-coated outer fabric, a storm flap over zips and a drain point or easily dried base. - **Back comfort.** Breathable mesh back panel and straps rated for the full loaded weight; our handle pull test (5 kg for 60 seconds) is the minimum, and fleets often ask for more. ## Specification checklist for insulated delivery bags Send this list with your enquiry and a supplier can quote on an equal basis. Missing any of these items is the usual reason two quotes are not comparable. - Format and internal dimensions (length × width × height), with the box or container sizes it must carry. - Outer fabric with weight in g/m² and coating, for example 600D PU-coated polyester or a 1680D for heavy fleet use. See our [bag fabric guide](https://www.eggrollbags.com/blog/bag-fabric-guide-600d-1680d-rpet/). - Insulation: foam type and thickness in millimetres. - Liner: foil, PEVA or TPU; welded or stitched; removable or fixed. - Closure: zip gauge, hook-and-loop flap, storm flap, vent yes/no. - Carry system: handles, shoulder strap, backpack straps, vehicle mount. - Rigid inserts and dividers: material and whether removable. - Branding: logo method, size and position; reflective elements. - Cleaning method the bag must survive: wipe-down, sanitiser type, or washing. - Testing: liner leak, zip cycle, handle pull, and any timed temperature test. ## Branding, durability and cleaning for fleets Fleet bags carry your brand on every street, so the logo has to outlast the bag. Screen print and heat transfer suit flat panels; embroidery is durable but adds holes to a waterproof outer, so keep it to patches or areas outside the insulated wall. Durability on delivery work comes from bar-tacked handle joins, bound seams on the liner and a base that does not wear through on pavement. Cleaning comes from smooth, welded liners without deep seams where food collects. Our [commercial food delivery bag project](https://www.eggrollbags.com/projects/commercial-food-delivery-bags/) walks through a range built to survive daily washing. Commercial terms are the same as for any insulated bag: MOQ 500 pcs per colour on a catalogue model or 1,000 pcs per colour for a new pattern or custom-dyed colour, a counter sample in 7–12 days, and bulk in 25–35 days after sample approval, with peak season (July to October) adding about a week. Inspection is to ISO 2859-1 General Level II at AQL 2.5 major / 4.0 minor. To brief a pizza bag, delivery backpack or catering carrier, [request a quote](https://www.eggrollbags.com/contact/) and we will reply in writing within one working day. ## Frequently asked What is the best thermal bag to keep food hot? Look for a thick closed-cell foam wall, a foil or welded PEVA liner, a closure with a flap over the zip and an internal size matched to your containers so there is little air inside. For fried or crusty food add a small vent to release steam. Pre-warming the bag before loading also helps it keep food hot longer. What size should an insulated pizza bag be? Measure your actual pizza boxes, stack the number you deliver most often, then add 1–2 cm to the length and width and roughly 1 cm per box to the height. A box for a 12-inch pizza is commonly around 31–32 cm square and a 16-inch box around 41–42 cm, but box suppliers vary. Can one delivery bag carry both hot and cold food? Yes, insulation slows heat flow in both directions. The problem is mixing them in one compartment, where hot dishes warm the drinks and desserts. If your orders regularly combine both, specify a divider or a separate insulated compartment, and keep cold items with a frozen gel pack where practical. Are food delivery backpacks better than carrier bags for bikes? For bicycle and e-bike couriers, usually yes. A backpack leaves both hands free, carries the load close to the body and can be built with rigid panels to keep food level. Carrier bags with shoulder straps suit walking or car delivery, and top-box liners suit scooters and motorcycles with a mount. What is the minimum order for custom insulated food delivery bags? For a catalogue model the MOQ is 500 pieces per colour, and 1,000 pieces per colour for a new pattern or custom-dyed colour. A counter sample takes 7–12 days, with the fee credited against bulk, and bulk production takes 25–35 days after sample approval. Filed under [Cooler bags](https://www.eggrollbags.com/blog/tag/cooler-bags/) [Product development](https://www.eggrollbags.com/blog/tag/product-development/) [Sourcing](https://www.eggrollbags.com/blog/tag/sourcing/) ## Models mentioned in this guide EB-CB129 ### Food Delivery Picnic Cooler Bag - Wholesale (600D Polyester + PEVA, 37.5*13*36.5cm) 37.5*13*36.5cm · 600D Polyester + PEVA EB-CB123 ### Beach Cooler Bag for Picnic & Delivery - Custom (600D Polyester + PEVA, 42*19.5*26cm) 42*19.5*26cm · 600D Polyester + PEVA EB-DB010 ### Multi-Function Insulated Baby & Tote Bag — 35 x 13 x 29 cm 35 x 13 x 29 cm · 600D polyester with insulated foil lining ## Keep reading [All guides](https://www.eggrollbags.com/blog/) - [Cooler bags16 October 20268 min read ### Beach Cooler Bags: Specifying for Sand, Salt and Sun How to keep a cooler cold at the beach, which beach cooler formats sell, and how custom, personalized and monogrammed beach bags are specified and ordered.](https://www.eggrollbags.com/blog/beach-cooler-bags-guide/) - [Cooler bags16 October 20268 min read ### Cooler Backpacks: What Makes a Good One and How to Specify It What makes a good backpack cooler: insulation, liner, capacity, straps and styles that sell, plus a spec checklist, MOQ and lead times for custom orders.](https://www.eggrollbags.com/blog/cooler-backpack-guide/) - [Cooler bags16 October 20268 min read ### Cooler Bag Sizes Explained: Cans, Litres and Quarts Cooler sizes decoded: how many cans fit a small cooler or mini cooler, litres to quarts, and how wall thickness shrinks a big cooler's real capacity.](https://www.eggrollbags.com/blog/cooler-bag-sizes-explained/) ## Have a brief that matches this guide? Send it to the export desk. A person replies in writing within one working day. [Send a brief](https://www.eggrollbags.com/contact/)[Browse models](https://www.eggrollbags.com/products/)