Reasons Why You’ll Never Find Chinese Takeout Boxes in China

Chinese Takeout Boxes are one of the most iconic boxes around the globe. They are made white paper stock and are adorned with a pagoda – a red building on the side and a Thank You at the top while keeping both of them red in colour.

 

The red colour is specifically used because it has a great significance in Chinese culture. Chinese consider red to be a sign of joy, luck, and happiness for them. They have a strong connotation with this colour, believing that it can defend them against all the bad luck and evils.

Named After China, These Boxes Are Actually American:

You may already know that the Chinese food being served in America is entirely change from what is actually served in China. The American Chinese restaurants try to mimic their taste but fail to provide the original Chinese food to its customers. In the same way, Americans make the Custom Chinese Food Boxes USA that are not Chinese at all. They shouldn’t be even called Chinese because they are actually an invention of Americans and have no use in China.

Frederick Weeks Wilcox, an inventor in America, created these folded boxes for the first time by getting inspired by the traditional Japanese Origami. Wilcox made it in 1894 by using a single sheet of a paper pail and folding it into a box in such a way that it minimized the leaks. He added a thin wire on the top that would serve as a handle to hold it easily.

The need and use of these Chinese Food Boxes were most felt when the Chinese culture spread in the U.S during the California Gold Rush. In that era, a massive number of Chinese restaurants were opened in the country, and these Wilcox boxes started getting used for the takeout of food. Fold-Pak was one company that used to manufacture these boxes in those days. A graphic designer of Fold-Pak, whose name is unfortunately not known, the added pagoda on its side and a Thank You at the top writing it in a way to imitate the Chinese calligraphy. 

This is all that is known to date about these traditional and historical Custom Chinese Takeout Boxes. They are called Chinese takeout boxes but are not sold in china as Fold-Pak’s marketing manager asserted in an interview, “We don’t sell them in China.”

Inclination towards Takeout Food:

Another reason why Chinese takeout boxes are not used in China is that their lifestyle doesn’t go in hand with the usage of these boxes. Chinese people do not prefer eating from restaurants or taking away food to their homes. Instead, they love to cook their dishes themselves and enjoy them in the comfort of their homes. Their way of living is quite simple and healthy, unlike other fancy lifestyles followed by the Americans. So basically, these boxes are a demand for fast-paced lifestyles that usually take place in the US and its native countries.  People over there mostly prefer going out for dining in food or takeaways. So these highly functional and unique Custom Chinese Takeout Boxes are mostly used over there despite the country they are named after.

Uses of these Highly Functional Boxes:

Chinese food is one of the most popular and tasty cuisines in the world. It is not only made on the highest flames but is also served when boiling hot. With the increasing demand for Chinese food all over the world back in the late ’80s, there was a need for packaging that could handle such hot food without creating any mess.

Back then, the takeout of Chinese food was really difficult, and getting some functional containers was the need of the time. That was the era when Chinese takeout food boxes were invented in Chicago. These folded boxes were specially made to handle the hotness and minimize any leakage. 

Besides serving as a food container, these boxes can also be turned into a plate whenever required. You can open their sides easily to turn them into a flat form and get the advantage of a plate whenever you want. So basically, they act as a two in one container, which is a plus point.

They are not only used for serving the food but also have some other utilities as well. They can be used for the safe storage of your products. You can get your hands on  Chinese Food Boxes to meet your needs more efficiently. Other than that, when made with thick, sturdy material, they can be used for shipping purposes as well.