Food serving utensil

Abstract

A novel multipurpose food serving utensil for cutting, lifting, slicing, serving, passing and holding slices of food product such as pizza, pie or cake, as well as providing support for the lid of a food product container during delivery or storage. The utensil may include a breakaway portion that can accommodate a redeemable coupon. When the breakaway portion is removed, the remaining utensil can be used as an ice scraper.

1 . A food serving utensil comprising: 
 a serving portion having first and second edges, and distal and proximal ends; and    an upstanding portion having upper and lower ends, and a curved lip portion along the upper end, said upstanding portion extending upwardly away from the proximal end of the serving portion along at least 50% of said proximal end.    
   
   
       2 . A food serving utensil as in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said edges of the serving portion is serrated in at least two different serration patterns along a portion of its length.  
   
   
       3 . A food serving utensil as in  claim 1 , wherein the serving portion includes advertising indicia thereon.  
   
   
       4 . A food serving utensil as in  claim 1 , wherein the serving portion has a line of weakness extending across the width of the serving portion so that said serving portion may be severed along said line of weakness, and further wherein said line of weakness defines first and second portions of said serving portion, said first portion extending from the distal end to the line of weakness and the second portion extending from the proximal end to the line of weakness.  
   
   
       5 . A food serving utensil as in  claim 4 , wherein the serving portion includes visible indicia indicating that the second portion can be used as an ice scraper.  
   
   
       6 . A food serving utensil as in  claim 4 , wherein said first portion of the serving portion includes advertising indicia thereon.  
   
   
       7 . A food serving utensil as in  claim 1 , wherein said curved lip portion extends along the entire upper end of the upstanding portion.  
   
   
       8 . A food serving utensil as in  claim 1 , wherein said curved lip portion includes an aperture extending there through.  
   
   
       9 . A food serving utensil as in  claim 1 , wherein the upstanding portion includes advertising indicia thereon.  
   
   
       10 . A food serving utensil as in  claim 1 , wherein the upper end of said upstanding portion is longer than the lower end.  
   
   
       11 . A food serving utensil as in  claim 1 , wherein said serving portion is wedge-shaped, and further wherein said proximal end of said serving portion, said upstanding portion, and said curved lip portion are curved along their respective lengths.  
   
   
       12 . A method of packaging a food product for transport or storage comprising: 
 providing a container, the container having a base portion and a closeable lid;    providing a food serving utensil having a serving portion having first and second edges, and distal and proximal ends, and an upstanding portion having upper and lower ends, and a curved lip portion along the upper end, said upstanding portion extending upwardly away from the proximal end of the serving portion;    placing the food product on the base portion of the container;    inserting said food serving utensil through said food product such that said serving portion is positioned on said base portion of the container and underneath said food product; and    closing said lid of the container whereby a central region of the lid is supported by said curved lip portion of the serving utensil during transport or storage.    
   
   
       13 . A method of utilizing a food serving utensil for scraping ice from a windshield, comprising: 
 (a) receiving a packaged food product comprising 
 a container having a base portion and a closeable lid,  
 a food product positioned on the base portion of the container, and  
 a food serving utensil having a serving portion having distal and proximal ends, and an upstanding portion having upper and lower ends and a curved lip portion along said upper end of the upstanding portion, said upstanding portion extending upwardly away from the proximal end of the serving portion, wherein said serving portion has a line of weakness extending across its width, and further wherein said line of weakness defines first and second portions of said serving portion, said first portion extending from the distal end to the line of weakness and said second portion extending from the proximal end to the line of weakness,  
 wherein said serving portion of the food serving utensil is positioned between said food product and the base portion of the container such that a central region of the lid is supported by said curved lip portion of the serving utensil;  
   (b) removing said food serving utensil from the container;    (c) severing said serving portion of the food service utensil along said line of weakness; and    (d) scraping ice from a windshield using said second portion of the serving portion of the food serving utensil.