Taco, Burrito and Food Wrapping Sheets

Burrito, taco, barbecue or bakery: which wrapping sheet?

Burrito wrapping paper is the largest sheet in the group and the one that has to hold a wet filling. Taco wrap is smaller and lighter, meant for a single taco or a gyro that is eaten on the move. Food wrapping paper is the general sheet for hot dogs, pizza slices and barbecue sandwiches.

Bakery wrap is the odd one out. It has a 6 x 6 option for a single cookie, and it is more often dry wax or bleached white than grease-resistant, because a croissant leaves butter, not oil.

A taqueria with a bakery case would order taco wrap and bakery wrap rather than one sheet for both, because the sizes and stocks pull in different directions.

How a wet burrito stays sealed in paper

A burrito is rolled in the sheet the same way the tortilla is rolled around the filling: fold the bottom up, fold the sides in, roll forward. The last fold tucks under the weight of the burrito and holds without tape. The photo on our burrito page shows a kraft sheet with a word repeat holding that shape around a cut burrito.

The sheet has to stop salsa and beans from reaching the outside. Grease-resistant kraft does that and hides any spot that does come through. White grease-resistant works too and prints brighter, but shows a wet patch sooner.

Steam matters less here than with fries. A burrito is dense and stays hot in paper for a long while, which is why so many burrito wrapping paper orders are for takeout and delivery.

What sheet size rolls a 12-inch tortilla?

A 12-inch tortilla rolled around a regular filling comes out around eight inches long. A 12 x 12 sheet rolls that burrito with the paper closing just over the ends. Load the same tortilla with rice, beans, meat and guacamole and it needs the 12 x 15 to cover the ends properly.

A 14-inch tortilla or a double-wrapped burrito needs the 15 x 15. For tacos, a 10 x 10 holds a street taco with the paper folded in half as a cradle. Two standard tacos sit side by side on a 12 x 12 sheet.

1. Measure the finished burrito from end to end, not the tortilla.
2. Add three inches to that length for the end tucks.
3. Pick the smallest sheet whose short side meets that number.
4. If staff double-wrap, size up one step instead.

Why taco wrap needs a different stock than bakery wrap

A taco drips meat juice and salsa onto the paper within seconds, so taco wrap belongs on grease-resistant white or kraft. The sheet also has to be firm enough to fold into a cradle and hold a taco upright in one hand.

Bakery wrap sees butter, sugar and crumbs. Dry wax has the soft hand that folds around a croissant without crushing it, and its slight sheen keeps icing from sticking. Bleached white suits a cookie that sells in a clear bag, where a bright sheet shows the print well.

• Tacos, gyros and shawarma: grease-resistant white or kraft
• Burritos and quesadillas: grease-resistant kraft
• Hot dogs, slices and barbecue: grease-resistant white, or natural kraft for dry buns
• Pastries and cookies: dry wax or bleached white
• Dark counters serving any of the above: black with white ink

Do wrapping sheets work for barbecue and hot dogs?

Yes, and barbecue counters are among the heaviest users of plain food wrapping paper. A sliced brisket sandwich on a 12 x 15 sheet is folded once over the top and once under, and the paper takes the sauce instead of the bag. Ribs and sliced meat by the pound get wrapped in 15 x 15 kraft and sold by weight.

A hot dog sits on a 12 x 12 sheet rolled into a sleeve so the bun stays closed on the walk to the table. Pizza slices get the same roll. For the full stock picture, read how each deli paper stock behaves with sauce and heat.

Printing a repeat that survives the roll

A rolled burrito shows a strip of paper about three inches wide all the way round. A repeat pattern with the logo every two to three inches means at least one full mark sits on that strip. A single centered logo ends up on the back or the bottom.

Keep the repeat to one or two spot colors on kraft. A brown sheet with a single dark brown or black word repeat looks right for a taqueria and costs less than full color. White ink on kraft gives a lighter look that still reads at a distance.

Full color is for the white stocks only and suits a bakery sheet with a floral or stripe pattern. Place the file on a sheet photo on the Design Your Deli Paper page to check the spacing before you ask for a proof.

Ordering food wrapping sheets in two sizes

Most taquerias and barbecue counters end up with two sheets: a 12 x 12 for the everyday item and a 12 x 15 or 15 x 15 for the large one. Each size is its own run of at least 1,000 sheets, and both can sit on one written quote.

Send the sizes, the stock and a vector logo, or a photo of your sign if the logo is a simple wordmark and we will redraw it free. The quote comes back within one business day and the free PDF proof follows. Production starts only after written approval and takes 4 to 6 business days.

Delivery is free and tracked to any US address in 2 to 3 business days. Misprints or damaged cases reported with photos within 10 days are reprinted or refunded.