Unboxing iconic, unique, and creative pizza box designs

In honor of Pi Day on 14 March, we propose a new math method: eating pizza! What better way to explain a complex mathematical equation than by measuring the circumference and diameter of a delicious pizza pie?

OK, jokes aside, Pi Day is a real thing. The organization behind this annual celebration encourages math enthusiasts to recite the infinite digits of pi (approximately 3.14159, just to refresh your memory), talk to their friends about math, and eat pizza.

And while we’re on pi and pizza, let’s look at some of the most stylish and creative pizza box designs to give you some seriously delectable design inspiration. Pizza box designs are some of the most underrated types of packaging design, but no doubt you come across these humble cardboard creations regularly. After all, who doesn’t love pizza?

Read on to discover pizza box design ideas to inspire your food packaging projects, from unique pizza box designs that use stand-out color and type to iconic pizza branding that has stood the test of time.

Classic Margherita or a love-or-hate-it ham and pineapple combo? Pizzas come in a wide range of flavors, styles, and cooking traditions, and the sheer variety of pizza box designs reflects how diverse and widely loved this Italian street food staple has become.

Pizza boxes originated in Naples in the 19th century, though not quite as we know them now. In those days, they were multi-layered containers made of tin or copper, known as stufe (from stufa, meaning ‘oven’). The first patent for a disposable pizza box was registered in 1963 in the USA, and since then, the humble pizza box has become a mainstay of American culture. 

Takeout boxes kept the recipient’s pizza toasty warm and served as advertisements for the pizza restaurant. Many boxes featured contact details, eye-catching logos, mascots, or Italian-inspired scenes. 

Since the 1960s, pizza branding has become a big business, with famous pizza brands like Domino’s and Papa John’s now household names. Pizza boxes are a mainstay of popular culture and have appeared across TV and cinema, from Breaking Bad’s infamous rooftop pizza scene to Deadpool’s pizza guy prank. 

Pizza boxes are now often as creatively designed as the pizza toppings they contain! Cool pizza box designs draw attention to big pizza chains and independent pizzerias, with unique designs featuring vibrant colors, funky typography, and immersive illustrations.  

Many of the biggest pizza chains in the US stick to a tried-and-tested pizza branding formula that rarely oversteps the classic box tropes, with more creativity usually found amongst independent pizza brands. However, branding consultancy JKR recently revisited Domino’s pizza box, giving it a clever, fresh twist. It transformed its blue and red logo into interconnecting domino-shaped pizza boxes. We love this simple design twist on an iconic staple of pizza branding.

There is no right or wrong way to design a pizza box today. Whether you opt for traditional trattoria style or a more inventive and creative pizza box design, this unassuming cardboard box can be the ultimate vessel for artistry. Make a delicious advert, create a calling card for your customer’s next takeout, or simply create a disposable masterpiece. Consider this blank square on your canvas (octagon… or triangle!).

Scroll down to discover the ultimate in packaging inspiration, covering everything from classic pizza box creations to creatively shaped, unique pizza box designs. 

Give a nod to the Neapolitan origins of everyone’s favorite food with a classic pizza box design inspired by the traditional pizza branding adopted by tavernas and trattorias. These classic packaging designs feature long-established design elements, such as a red and green color palette, tablecloth checks, and retro, screen-printed finishes. Replicate the classic look with kraft card textures, vintage fonts, and nostalgic graphics. 

Looking for even more classic pizza box design ideas? Check out the pizza-joint-inspired identity created by Under Consideration for its annual Brand New Conference—it gives a fresh twist to classic pizza branding.

Are you in the mood for something more minimalist? These sleek and contemporary pizza box designs break with the traditional Taverna rulebook in favor of a trendsetting style. 

You can use geometric graphics or striking logos to complement the ultra-minimalist use of color and type. These minimalist box designs make a strong statement, conveying the message that your pizza restaurant does things a little differently.

Why not use your pizza box as a canvas to create a minimalist stroke of genius, like this round-the-clock pizza box design by Leo Burnett Design? Created to show that any time of the day (or night) can be an excellent time for pizza, these simple packaging creations are a fantastic example of how to do pizza branding differently. 

Did you know that pizza box sizes can be as large as 28 inches? Sure, that might be a jumbo pizza party size, but the standard 12-inch pizza box that contains your usual order still offers plenty of space to feature something super creative.

Some of the most creative pizza box designs feature beautiful illustrations created by hand or digital vector software like Adobe Illustrator. These immersive pizza box designs showcase pure creativity and bring a moment of joy to the pizza recipient. 

Opt for a retro-inspired design like McKenna Sherrill’s groovy pizza box creation for Flatbread. Use collage elements to bring a more tactile quality to a pizza box design, like Her Sarong’s calmly clouded packaging. 

Say what you mean eat with delectable typography on your pizza box designs! Use unusual fonts, logotypes, or display fonts with chunky proportions to make a shouty statement. These typographic pizza box design ideas take their cues from the advertising playbook, functioning as bold, box-based billboards for pizza brands. 

Give classic tablecloth checks a fun update with warped text, like Secret Society’s pizza box design for Pizza Bruno, or take 1950s-inspired diner fonts for a spin to take your pizza box ideas into nostalgic territory.

Creative pizza toppings are a feast of color, so why should a unique pizza box design be any different? Bright, vivid colors have been proven to stimulate the appetite, so it’s a no-brainer to use eye-catching color palettes on your pizza box designs. 

Zesty orange will make mouths water, while some neon pastel saturation can give a modern twist to the classic pizza-themed green, red, and blue hues.

Or why not experiment with a complete full-color box that doesn’t skimp on dopamine brights? Ultra-colorful pizza box designs also look fantastic stacked up, giving your restaurant counter a welcome color boost for customers who drop in.

Who says a pizza box has to be square? While it may be the most convenient shape for manufacturing the box, a square pizza box design can lack a certain je ne sais quoi.

The most creative pizza box designs often come in a range of unique sizes, from pleasing-to-hold octagonal pizza boxes to dinky triangular pizza slice boxes that make a small snack feel extra special. Or why not go all out and go for multiple pizza drawers?!

You might need to approach a specialized printer to manufacture your boxes, but we think the aesthetic results are well worth the effort. Thinking outside the box? We’re here for it.  

The world’s favorite fast food has remained untoppled from its lofty spot since the mid-20th century. However, even though pizza is often the highlight of our week, we can still be guilty of overlooking the creative potential of the humble pizza box. Hopefully, the packaging inspiration in this article has given you some food for thought!

Ready to create your own cool pizza box designs? A quality pizza box mockup can help you visualize your design and present your ideas to others, giving you a sense of how your delicious creation will look in real life. Choose one of the pizza box mockups below to quickly drop in your 2D design, transforming your creative layout into a three-dimensional pizza box. You can also embellish your pizza box designs with food-themed fonts and graphics!

Find even more inspiration in this collection of pizza box design assets from Envato.