Aluminium Foil Container Sizes: Complete Guide with Dimensions

Aluminium foil containers are a staple of Indian food service, particularly in catering, banquet halls, restaurants with delivery service, and railway catering. Their ability to go from oven to table, their excellent heat retention, and their secure lid seal make them indispensable for certain food service scenarios. But the sheer number of sizes available can be overwhelming.

This guide provides a complete reference of all standard aluminium foil container sizes available in the Indian market, with ml capacities, physical dimensions, and clear guidance on which size works best for which food and serving context.

How Aluminium Foil Containers Are Sized

Aluminium foil containers are identified in two ways in the Indian market. Manufacturers use code numbers (like 660, 750, 8342, etc.) that are specific to each manufacturer's mould catalogue. Buyers typically use ml capacity as the primary reference. Physical dimensions (length, width, depth) provide the exact specification.

Unlike plastic containers, aluminium foil containers are not standardised across manufacturers in the same way. A "750 ml" container from one maker may differ slightly in dimensions from another. The capacities and dimensions in this guide represent the most common specifications found across major Indian manufacturers.

Round Aluminium Foil Container Sizes

Round foil containers are the most common format for Indian food service. They are used for curries, dals, rice, biryanis, and desserts. The round shape is structurally strong and distributes heat evenly.

Capacity (ml)	Capacity (oz)	Diameter	Depth	Best For
60 ml	2 oz	65 mm	22 mm	Sauce cups, butter portions, chutney
100 ml	3.4 oz	80 mm	28 mm	Pickle sides, ghee portions, small desserts
200 ml	6.8 oz	108 mm	32 mm	Individual dal, single-serve gravy
250 ml	8.5 oz	115 mm	38 mm	Standard curry serving, curd, raita
350 ml	11.8 oz	130 mm	42 mm	Generous gravy serving, sweet dish
500 ml	16.9 oz	150 mm	48 mm	Rice portion, biryani for one, large curry
750 ml	25.4 oz	180 mm	52 mm	Family curry, large biryani serving
1000 ml	33.8 oz	200 mm	58 mm	Family-size biryani, bulk curry, catering
1500 ml	50.7 oz	220 mm	65 mm	Party-size servings, large group catering
2000 ml	67.6 oz	240 mm	72 mm	Banquet catering, bulk food transport

Rectangular Aluminium Foil Container Sizes

Rectangular containers are preferred for specific foods (lasagna, baked dishes, kebabs), for efficient packing in delivery bags, and for catering where trays need to line up neatly on serving tables.

Capacity (ml)	Capacity (oz)	Length x Width	Depth	Best For
250 ml	8.5 oz	150 x 120 mm	30 mm	Small salads, snack boxes, dessert portions
450 ml	15.2 oz	190 x 130 mm	35 mm	Individual meals, sandwich accompaniments
660 ml	22.3 oz	210 x 140 mm	42 mm	Standard meal box, rice and curry combo
750 ml	25.4 oz	225 x 150 mm	42 mm	Biryani, fried rice, noodle servings
1000 ml	33.8 oz	260 x 160 mm	48 mm	Large meals, kebab platters, baked items
1500 ml	50.7 oz	310 x 200 mm	50 mm	Family packs, catering trays
2250 ml	76.1 oz	320 x 260 mm	55 mm	Large catering trays, banquet service
3000 ml	101.4 oz	370 x 275 mm	60 mm	Full-size buffet trays, bulk catering

Compartment Aluminium Foil Containers

Compartment foil containers are a premium option for meal delivery and in-flight catering. They keep different food items separated and maintain presentation quality during transport.

Compartments	Total Capacity	Dimensions	Best For
2 sections	450-500 ml	210 x 140 x 35 mm	Rice + curry, simple meal delivery
3 sections	650-750 ml	250 x 180 x 40 mm	Rice + dal + sabzi, airline meals
4 sections	800-1000 ml	280 x 200 x 40 mm	Full thali meals, railway catering

Foil Gauge and Container Size

The thickness of the aluminium foil, measured in microns, affects the container's strength and suitability for different uses. Larger containers need thicker foil to maintain structural integrity when filled with heavy food.

Container Size Range	Recommended Gauge	Notes
60-250 ml	30-40 micron	Standard gauge; adequate for small portions and light foods
350-750 ml	40-55 micron	Medium gauge; needed for hot, heavy curries and rice
1000-1500 ml	50-65 micron	Heavy gauge; essential for large containers under catering load
2000 ml and above	60-80 micron	Extra heavy; required for buffet trays and bulk food transport

Buying thin-gauge large containers is a false economy. A 1500 ml container at 35 microns will buckle and possibly tear when lifted with food inside, leading to spills and food waste that far exceeds the savings on foil thickness.

Lid Options for Aluminium Containers

Aluminium foil containers are available with three types of lids, each suited for different purposes:

Cardboard lids are the most common and affordable option. They provide a flat, stable closure and can be printed with branding or food labels. They are not airtight but are adequate for short-distance delivery and immediate service. Suitable for all container sizes.

Aluminium foil lids are pressed or folded from the same foil as the container. They provide an excellent seal for heat retention and are the standard for railway and airline catering. Available primarily for round and small rectangular containers.

Clear plastic lids allow the food to be visible without opening, which is useful for display and for customer verification. They are typically made from PET or PP and are available for most standard sizes. They create a tighter seal than cardboard lids.

Aluminium Containers for Specific Indian Food Applications

Wedding and Event Catering

Indian wedding catering is the single largest market for aluminium foil containers. A typical wedding meal service might use 5-8 different container sizes per guest: small cups for chutney and raita, medium containers for dal and paneer, large containers for rice and biryani, and trays for breads and starters. For a wedding with 500 guests, this translates to 2,500-4,000 containers.

The most popular sizes for wedding catering are 250 ml (gravies), 500 ml (rice/biryani per head), 100 ml (sides), and 1500 ml (shared serving dishes on tables).

Restaurant Delivery

Restaurants that deliver through Swiggy, Zomato, or their own delivery teams often prefer aluminium containers for hot meals because foil retains heat better than plastic. The 250 ml and 500 ml round containers handle most menu items, with 660-750 ml rectangular containers for combination meals.

Railway and Travel Catering

Railway catering in India has traditionally relied on aluminium compartment containers. The 3-section and 4-section containers are the standard for train meals, providing complete thali-style service in a single container. See our guide on railway station food packaging.

Home Delivery of Sweets and Mithai

Mithai shops and sweet manufacturers use aluminium containers extensively for packaging and delivery. The 200-350 ml round containers are ideal for assorted mithai boxes, while 500-750 ml containers serve for larger gift boxes. The aluminium keeps sweets fresh and presents well. More details in our sweet box packaging guide.

Cost Considerations by Size

Aluminium foil container pricing depends on capacity, gauge thickness, and whether lids are included. Here is a rough wholesale pricing range (per piece, quantities of 500+):

Container Size	Container Only	With Cardboard Lid	With Foil Lid
100 ml round	Rs 1.50-2.50	Rs 2.00-3.00	Rs 2.50-3.50
250 ml round	Rs 2.50-3.50	Rs 3.00-4.50	Rs 3.50-5.00
500 ml round	Rs 4.00-5.50	Rs 5.00-7.00	Rs 5.50-7.50
750 ml rectangular	Rs 5.50-7.50	Rs 7.00-9.00	Rs 7.50-10.00
1000 ml round	Rs 7.00-9.50	Rs 8.50-11.50	Rs 9.50-12.50
1500 ml rectangular	Rs 9.00-12.00	Rs 11.00-14.50	Rs 12.50-16.00

For current pricing on any aluminium foil container size, contact Success Marketing directly. Prices fluctuate with raw aluminium costs, which have been volatile in recent years.