Using serving platter having disposal opening and shallow sealing lid

Abstract

A method of serving food includes arranging food on a serving area of a serving platter having a main body including a top portion defining the serving area comprising a plurality of primary serving wells and secondary serving wells, and a bottom portion defining an interior space, the top portion defining a disposal opening configured to receive food waste into the interior space, wherein the top portion includes a plurality of dividing walls defining and separating the primary serving wells and a plurality of partitioning walls defining the secondary serving wells. Each serving well has a volume that is less than half of the volume of each primary serving well.

1 . A method of serving food, which food generates food waste when eaten, comprising the steps of:
 (a) arranging, on a serving area of a serving platter, food that generates food waste when eaten, the serving platter comprising,
 (i) a main body including,
 (A) a top portion defining the serving area, the serving area comprising a plurality of primary serving wells for receiving food items therein for presentation to a person for eating, and 
 (B) a bottom portion defining a substantially enclosed interior space, the top portion defining a disposal opening configured to receive there through food waste for deposit into the substantially enclosed interior space; 
 
 (ii) wherein the top portion includes a plurality of dividing walls defining and separating the primary serving wells; and 
 (iii) wherein the top portion further defines a plurality of secondary serving wells, each secondary serving well being defined by a partitioning wall that extends between adjacent sides of the outer peripheral wall of the main body; and 
   (b) loading one or more of the secondary serving wells with food that may or may not generate food waste.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the serving tray to a customer by a commercial food service establishment, wherein the customer is a dine-in customer. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the serving tray to a customer by a commercial food service establishment, wherein the customer is a take-out customer. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the serving tray to a customer by a commercial food service establishment, wherein the customer is a delivery customer. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the top portion and the bottom portion are part of a single molded piece. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the primary serving wells shares in common a dividing wall with another primary serving well. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each secondary serving well includes a volume that is less than half of the volume of each primary serving well. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disposal opening comprises a circular opening centrally located relative to the serving area. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein each dividing wall extends generally linearly away from the circular opening. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein each dividing wall extends from the circular opening to the outer peripheral wall of the main body, and wherein each primary serving well has a bottom defining a food support surface, and wherein the food support surface is planar and configured to be generally horizontal when the serving platter is placed on a generally horizontal surface. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a secondary serving well is loaded with a sauce or dip. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removably coupling a shallow lid to the main body such that the lid is positioned above and extends over the serving area during transport of the serving platter, the lid defining a plurality of dividers, wherein each of the dividing walls is generally aligned with and engaged by a respective divider such that two wells are isolated from one another by a dividing wall engaged with a divider, and wherein each of the partitioning walls is generally aligned with and engaged by a respective divider such that a primary serving well and a secondary serving well are isolated from one another by a partitioning wall engaged with a divider. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a dividing wall is engaged by a divider by being received within a channel that is defined by the lid. 
   
   
       14 . A method of serving food, which food generates food waste when eaten, comprising the steps of:
 (a) arranging, on a serving area of a serving platter, food that generates food waste when eaten, the serving platter comprising,
 (i) a generally rectangular main body, the main body being a single molded piece and including,
 (A) a top portion defining the serving area, the serving area comprising a plurality of primary serving wells for receiving food items therein for presentation to a person for eating, and 
 (B) a bottom portion defining a substantially enclosed interior space, the top portion defining a rounded opening centrally located relative to the serving area and configured to receive there through food waste for deposit into the substantially enclosed interior space; 
 
 (ii) wherein the top portion includes a plurality of dividing walls defining and separating the primary serving wells, each dividing wall extends generally linearly away from the rounded opening to an outer peripheral wall of the main body, each of the primary serving wells sharing in common a dividing wall with another primary serving well; and 
 (iii) wherein the top portion further defines a plurality of secondary serving wells, each secondary serving well being defined by a partitioning wall that extends between adjacent sides of the outer peripheral wall of the main body, each secondary serving well having a volume that is less than half of the volume of each primary serving well; and 
   (b) loading one or more of the secondary serving wells with food that may or may not generate food waste.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising removably coupling a shallow to the main body such that the lid is positioned above and extends over the serving area and seats off the central opening of the top portion. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the lid defines a plurality of dividers, each of the dividing walls being generally aligned with and engaged by a respective divider such that two wells are seated off from one another by a dividing wall engaged with a divider. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each of the partitioning walls also is generally aligned with and engaged by a respective divider such that a primary serving well and a secondary serving well are isolated from one another by a partitioning wall engaged with a divider. 
   
   
       18 . A method of serving food, which food generates food waste when eaten, comprising the steps of:
 (a) arranging, on a serving area of a serving platter, food that generates food waste when eaten, the serving platter comprising,
 (i) a generally rectangular main body, the main body being a single molded piece and including,
 (A) a top portion defining a serving area comprising,
 (I) four primary serving wells for receiving food items therein for presentation to a person for eating, and 
 (II) four secondary serving wells, and 
 
 (B) a bottom portion defining a substantially enclosed interior space, the top portion defining a rounded opening centrally located relative to the serving area and configured to receive there through food waste for deposit into the substantially enclosed interior space; 
 
 (ii) wherein the top portion includes four dividing walls defining and separating the four primary serving wells, each dividing wall extending generally linearly away from the rounded opening to an outer peripheral wall of the main body, each of the four primary serving wells sharing in common a dividing wall with another of the four primary serving wells; and 
   (iii) wherein the top portion further includes four partitioning walls, each partitioning wall extending between adjacent sides of the outer peripheral wall of the main body, each serving well having a volume that is less than half of the volume of each primary serving well; and   (b) loading one or more of the secondary serving wells with food that may or may not generate food waste.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising removably coupling a shallow lid to the main body such that the lid is positioned above and extends over the serving area and seats off the central opening of the top portion. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the lid defines a plurality of dividers, each of the dividing walls being generally aligned with and engaged by a respective divider such that two wells are seated off from one another by a dividing wall engaged with a divider; and wherein each of the partitioning walls also is generally aligned with and engaged by a respective divider such that a primary serving well and a secondary serving well are isolated from one another by a partitioning wall engaged with a divider.