Food and beverage tray

Abstract

A food and beverage tray is provided having a generally planar base and a generally horizontal outer lip extending outward from the top of the sides. A cup-shaped structure having a size and shape to hold a cup and a bowl-holding structure sized to hold a salad or soup bowl are provided on the generally planar base. An implement container may be provided on the tray base or on the lip. A tray support means is below and at the edges of the generally planar base.

1 . A food tray, comprising:
 a) a generally planar base having an upper surface, a lower surface, an outer edge all around the generally planar base, sides extending upward from the outer edge, and a generally horizontal outer lip extending outward from the top of the sides;   b) a cup-shaped structure formed in the generally planar base having a size and shape to hold a cup;   c) a bowl-holding structure on the generally planar base sized to hold a salad or soup bowl; and   d) a tray support means below the generally planar base at the edges of the generally planar base.   
     
     
         2 . The food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the cup-shaped structure extends downward from the lower surface beneath the planar base. 
     
     
         3 . The food tray of  claim 1 , further comprising an eating implement container on the generally planar base. 
     
     
         4 . The food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the generally planar base has an elongated depression in the upper surface for holding eating implements. 
     
     
         5 . The food tray of  claim 4 , wherein the elongated depression is located along one side of the tray. 
     
     
         6 . The food tray of  claim 4 , wherein the elongated depression is located between the cup-shaped structure and the bowl-shaped structure. 
     
     
         7 . The food tray of  claim 1 , further comprising an upwardly opening elongated container. 
     
     
         8 . The food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the outer lip has an elongated depression for holding eating implements. 
     
     
         9 . The food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the tray support means comprises a vertical support structure beneath and around the outside edges of the food tray. 
     
     
         10 . The food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the cup-shaped structure extends downward from the generally planar base and the bowl-holding structure extends downward from the generally planar base, and wherein the tray support means comprises a vertical support structure that holds the tray on a horizontal surface so that the cup-shaped structure and the bowl-holding structure do not rest on the horizontal surface. 
     
     
         11 . The food tray of  claim 1 , further comprising a cup that is taller than the cup-shaped structure, the cup having a bottom that fits within the cup-shaped structure, the cup further comprising a handle positioned at a top location on the cup so that the handle is above the generally planar base when the cup is placed in the cup-shaped structure with the bottom of the cup sitting on the bottom of the downwardly extending depression. 
     
     
         12 . The food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the cup-shaped structure has a side handle opening through which a handle of a cup placed in the cut-shaped structure protrudes. 
     
     
         13 . The food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the tray support means comprises a bottom ridge around the outside edges of the food tray. 
     
     
         14 . The food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the bowl-shaped container comprises an upwardly extending continuous ridge forming a depression above the upper surface for holding a bowl. 
     
     
         15 . The food tray of  claim 14 , further comprising a bowl shaped to removably fit securely within the continuous ridge. 
     
     
         16 . The food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the bowl-shaped container is formed by the generally planar base having a depression for holding a soup or salad bowl. 
     
     
         17 . The food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the generally planar base is rectangular. 
     
     
         18 . The food tray of  claim 1 , wherein the generally planar base is oval.