A liner that is 5 mm too wide buckles at the tray edge; one that is 30 mm too small leaves a visible rim of plastic and looks like a mistake. Most tray liner complaints trace back to a size chosen from a catalogue instead of from the tray in the restaurant. This guide shows how to measure a tray, which sizes are common in Europe and the US, when rounded corners or a custom shape are worth specifying, and what each size weighs. For paper and print choices, start with custom printed tray liners and placemats.
How do you measure a tray for a liner?
Measure the flat inner area of the tray, from the bottom of one raised edge to the bottom of the opposite one, in both directions, and take the corner radius if the tray has one. The liner is then cut slightly smaller than that area so that it lies flat without folding up the sides.
A reliable method:
- Measure length and width of the flat base at the inside of the rim, not the outer dimensions of the tray
- Note any raised rim, anti-slip ridge or textured band that the liner must clear or cover
- Measure the corner radius with a template or a ruler laid across the corner
- Decide the margin: a few millimetres per side is typical, so the sheet drops in easily and does not need trimming by staff
- Order a test cut or a plain printed sample and try it on the real tray, wet and dry, at service speed
A tray liner is a flat sheet, so it covers the base only. A sheet cut large enough to run up the sides creases at the corners and lifts at the rim; if the sides must be covered, that calls for a different format, not a bigger liner.
Which tray liner sizes are most common?
There is no single standard. In Europe, A4 (210 x 297 mm) and A3 (297 x 420 mm) are the most common starting points, with many bespoke sizes around the footprint of QSR and canteen trays. In the US, tray liners are often quoted in inches, with sizes such as 10 x 14 in, 11 x 17 in, 12 x 16 in and 14 x 18 in commonly seen. Treat these as typical examples, not fixed sizes.
| Tray type | Typical tray footprint | Liner size often used | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small café or bakery tray | about 25 x 35 cm | A4 (210 x 297 mm) or a size just below the base | Also used on boards and baskets |
| Fast-food dine-in tray (Europe) | around 35 x 45 cm | A3 (297 x 420 mm) or a custom size slightly below the base | Trays differ by operator; measure yours |
| Cafeteria or canteen tray (Europe) | commonly around 53 x 37 cm for Euronorm-style trays | custom rectangle sized to the base | Euronorm trays suit canteen tray trolleys and return systems; check the actual base dimensions |
| US cafeteria or fast-food tray | commonly 14 x 18 in (about 36 x 46 cm) | 11 x 17 in, 12 x 16 in or 14 x 18 in | Some chains specify liners with a small gap on all sides |
| Oval serving tray or board | varies | custom oval or round die-cut shape | Needs a cutting die |
Sizes differ between tray makers and between a chain's old and new store formats, so a size that works in one store does not always transfer. For the buyer, the trade-off is cost against fit: standard sizes are cheaper to source because the paper sheets and cutting patterns are efficient, while a custom size costs more at low volume but removes awkward gaps and wasted paper. Wrapping paper, burger wrap and basket-liner sheet sizes, including 12 x 12 in and 15 x 15 in, belong to burger wrap and basket liner sizes.
What does a tray liner weigh at each size and paper?
Weight per sheet is area in square metres multiplied by grammage. An A4 sheet at 80 gsm weighs about 5 g and an A3 sheet at 80 gsm about 10 g. This is the quickest way to compare quotations quoted per kilogram and per thousand sheets, and to see what changing a size or a paper saves.
| Sheet size | 40 gsm | 70 gsm | 80 gsm | 90 gsm | 115 gsm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A4 (210 x 297 mm) | 2.5 g | 4.4 g | 5.0 g | 5.6 g | 7.2 g |
| 11 x 17 in (279 x 432 mm) | 4.8 g | 8.4 g | 9.7 g | 10.9 g | 13.9 g |
| A3 (297 x 420 mm) | 5.0 g | 8.7 g | 10.0 g | 11.2 g | 14.3 g |
| 350 x 450 mm | 6.3 g | 11.0 g | 12.6 g | 14.2 g | 18.1 g |
| 14 x 18 in (356 x 457 mm) | 6.5 g | 11.4 g | 13.0 g | 14.6 g | 18.7 g |
Grams per sheet equal kilograms per 1,000 sheets. Values are nominal; actual paper weight varies within the mill's tolerance, and trimming and rounded corners remove a small amount of paper. Heavier paper, such as 115 gsm coated, feels better in the hand but costs more per sheet and weighs more in transport and in packaging data reported to a compliance scheme. For other conversions between gsm and US basis weight, use the paper weight converter.
When are rounded corners worth specifying?
Rounded corners are worth specifying when liners are replaced often, handled quickly or sit in trays that have a moulded corner radius. They stop sharp corners from catching, tearing or curling up, and they make the sheet look designed for the tray. They require a cutting tool, so the benefit is weighed against run size.
Reasons operators choose them:
- The tray has radiused corners and a square sheet leaves visible gaps or lifts at the corners
- Staff change liners dozens of times an hour and a pointed corner snags on the tray lip
- The liner is a brand surface and clean corners look more finished than a blunt rectangle
- The paper is thin, such as 40 gsm greaseproof, and corners crease easily
Match the radius to the tray, and move the safe zone for logos and small type inward at the corners so nothing important sits on the curve. Final tool dimensions are confirmed at quotation and technical review.
When do custom-shaped tray liners make sense?
Custom shapes make sense when the tray, board or basket is not a rectangle, or when the outline itself is part of the brand. Oval and round liners suit serving boards and platters, cut-outs suit trays with handles or cup holders, and branded outlines turn a placemat into a shaped promotion. All of them need a die, so they suit volumes where the tooling is spread across enough sheets.
Points to settle before ordering:
- Supply a tray sample or a dimensioned drawing, not only the outer measurements
- Mark where cut-outs must sit and check that the printed design lines up with them
- Check how shaped sheets will be packed and stacked; irregular shapes can waste paper on the sheet layout
- Ask the supplier for the sheet layout and the paper utilisation, because a clever shape on an inefficient layout costs more than the artwork suggests
Shape and tooling costs are discussed in the wider cost drivers guide.
How do tray liner sizes change print and artwork?
Sheet size sets the artwork canvas, the bleed and the safe zone. A design made for A4 does not simply scale to A3, because text size, pattern repeat and the proportion of the logo change. Artwork should be built at final size with 3 mm bleed beyond the trim, a safe margin inside the trim for text and logos, and a dieline for any shape.
- Build the artwork at final size from the dieline supplied or approved
- Keep important text away from the trim and corners, typically by at least 8 to 10 mm
- Check pattern repeat so that the design reads correctly regardless of small cutting variations
- For several sizes of the same family, create each from the master design, not by stretching
Full artwork rules are in packaging artwork preparation. Print process by paper is covered in tray liner printing.
How many tray liner sizes should a chain standardise on?
Most operators can cover their estate with one or two tray liner sizes and use the paper and print to differentiate rather than the size. Fewer sizes mean longer print runs per design, easier reordering and fewer mistakes across franchisees.
Practical approach:
- List every tray type in use, including delivery and drive-through formats if liners are used there
- Group trays whose inner areas are within a few millimetres of each other and choose the smaller liner that fits all of them
- Treat tray changes as a trigger to revisit the liner size
- Record the approved size and the dieline in the chain's packaging specification
This is the same discipline described in packaging for restaurant chains and franchises. A tray liner usually also needs paper chosen to suit the food before the size is frozen, since paper weight and stiffness influence how the sheet lies in the tray.
Size checklist for a tray liner quotation
Send these details so size, shape and tooling can be confirmed at quotation and technical review:
- Inner flat dimensions of each tray in mm or inches, with the corner radius
- Photograph or physical sample of the tray
- Preferred liner size, or the existing liner to match
- Corner style: square, rounded or a custom shape with a drawing
- Paper and weight, if already decided
- Sheets per pack and packing preferences
- Annual volume per size
Use the packaging RFQ guide for the rest of the request, and return to the tray liner hub for materials and print options, or send your tray sizes for a quotation.