Device and Method for Serving Food to Be Eaten with One's Hands

Abstract

A food-serving device is shown having both a top member, on which to put food to be eaten with one's hands, and at least one spacing member beneath the top member to support the top member and keep it elevated over a server. The top member has at least one aperture, through which liquid from the food placed on the top member drains onto the server below. In doing so, the invention prevents the food from absorbing that liquid and thereby creating an unappealing or ineffective means by which to hold the food.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A food-serving device comprising: a generally planar top member having a top surface on which food to be eaten with one's hands is able to be placed, a bottom surface, and at least one aperture through the top member; and at least one spacing member, having at least a portion thereof below the top member, for resting on an upper surface of a server so as to position the top member over and above the upper surface of the server; whereby food liquid draining from the food placed on the top surface passes through the at least one aperture and onto the upper surface of the server so as to reduce the amount of food liquid absorbed by the food placed on the top surface. 
     
     
         2 . The food-serving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the top member and the at least one spacing member are integral with each other. 
     
     
         3 . The food-serving device according to  claim 2 , wherein the device is composed of a bendable material and the spacing member is formable by at least one portion thereof being folded downwardly relative to the top member. 
     
     
         4 . The food-serving device according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one portion of the bendable material is at a periphery of the top member. 
     
     
         5 . The food-serving device according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one portion of the bendable material is interior of the top member. 
     
     
         6 . The food-serving device according to  claim 5 , wherein the at least one portion of the bendable material also forms the at least one aperture when folded downwardly. 
     
     
         7 . The food-serving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the top member is connected to the at least one spacing member. 
     
     
         8 . The food-serving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the top member and at least one spacing member comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of cardboard, stainless steel, ceramic, plastic, posterboard, bagasse, and closed-cell extruded polystyrene foam. 
     
     
         9 . The food-serving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the top surface of the top member has a nonporous coating for preventing the absorption of food liquid by the top member. 
     
     
         10 . The food-serving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one spacing member is configured to orient the top surface of the top member parallel to a portion of the upper surface of the server. 
     
     
         11 . The food-serving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one spacing member is configured to orient the top surface of the top member at an acute angle to a portion of the upper surface of the server. 
     
     
         12 . The food-serving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the food to be eaten is a hamburger on a bun, and the top member is generally circular and has substantially the same diameter as the bun. 
     
     
         13 . The food-serving device according to  claim 1 , wherein the top surface has a plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         14 . The food-serving device according to  claim 8 , wherein the food-serving device is integral with the server. 
     
     
         15 . A food-serving device for use with a server having at least one latticed side wall, comprising: a generally planar member having at least one aperture therethrough and having an upper surface for supporting a food to be eaten with the hands; and a plurality of members extending from the periphery of the generally planar member for engaging with at least one latticed side wall of the server to releasably hold the planar member generally horizontally within the server intermediate of a bottom surface and a top thereof, whereby food liquid draining from the food to be eaten with the hands passes through the at least one aperture to the bottom surface of the basket so as to reduce the amount of food liquid absorbed by the food to be eaten with the hands. 
     
     
         16 . The food-serving device according to  claim 15 , wherein the server having a latticed side wall is a food basket. 
     
     
         17 . A method of serving food to be eaten with one's hands, comprising the steps of:
 a. releasably spacing a food-serving device above an upper surface of a server, the food-serving device comprising a generally planar top member having a top surface on which food to be eaten with one's hands is able to be placed, a bottom surface, and at least one aperture through the top member;   b. placing food to be eaten with one's hands on the top surface of the top member; and   c. allowing food liquid from the food placed on the top surface to be drained through the at least one aperture and onto the upper surface of the server so as to reduce the amount of food liquid absorbed by the food placed on the top surface.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising providing indicia on the food-serving device relating to a characteristic of the food. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the step of releasably spacing comprises providing an integral piece of bendable material, downwardly folding at least one portion of the bendable material, and placing the resulting folded member on an upper surface of a server. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the step of downwardly folding additionally forms the at least one aperture.