Catering container assembly

A catering tray for storing, transporting, and presenting food products, comprising:

• a base;
• a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from said base to define a height of said tray, each of said plurality of side walls having an upper portion, adjacent ones of said side walls meeting at a corner joint;
• a plurality of recessed platforms connected to at least one of said side walls at an intermediate position along said height of said tray below said upper portion, each of said plurality of recessed platforms being located at one of said corner joints and for receiving a corresponding structure from a cover to be attached to said tray, each of said plurality of recessed platforms being a surface defined by a first and second line, said first line following a contour of said corner joint, said second line being non-parallel with said first line, a portion of said side walls extending above said plurality of recessed platforms;
• and
• a flange connected to an upper portion of each of said side walls, said flange extending along and defining a substantially hexagonal periphery of said catering tray.

A domed cover for engaging and covering a catering container, comprising:

• a lower portion having a polygonal periphery with projecting corner joints;
• a top;
• a plurality of cover walls extending downwardly from said top toward said lower portion, each of said plurality of cover walls arcing outwardly and being free of structural ribs;
• a plurality of cover stiffening bars, one of said plurality of cover stiffening bars being disposed between and joining adjacent ones of said plurality of cover walls, each of said cover stiffening bars extending across one of said corner joints and being in relative nonalignment with said adjacent ones of said plurality of cover walls, each of said cover stiffening bars having a smaller width than each of said plurality of cover walls, each of said plurality of cover stiffening bars being free of structural ribs, each of said plurality of cover stiffening bars arcing outwardly;
• and
• wherein said domed cover is made of a transparent material.

A catering bowl for storing and handling food products, comprising:

• a base;
• a plurality side walls having an upper portion and extending substantially upwardly from said base to define a height, each of said plurality of side walls being arced inwardly;
• a flange attached to said upper portion of said side walls and defining a substantially polygonal catering bowl periphery having projecting corner joints, said polygonal periphery being substantially larger than a periphery of said base;
• and
• a plurality of bar stiffening elements each of which is disposed between and joins adjacent ones of said plurality of side walls, each of said bar stiffening elements being in relative non-alignment with said adjacent ones of said side walls and extending across one of said projecting corner joints.

A catering container made of a polymeric material for storing, transporting, and presenting food products, comprising:

• a base having a food platform projecting upwardly therefrom;
• a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from said base to define a height of said container, each of said plurality of side walls having an upper portion;
• a plurality of discrete recessed platforms connected to at least one of said side walls at an intermediate position along said height of said container below said upper portion of said side walls, each of said plurality of discrete recessed platforms being separated from an adjacent one of said plurality of discrete recessed platforms by a predetermined distance and for receiving a corresponding structure from a cover to be attached to said container, a portion of said side walls extending above said plurality of discrete recessed platforms;
• a plurality of bar stiffeners disposed between and joining adjacent ones of said plurality of side walls, one of said plurality of discrete recessed platforms being disposed above a corresponding one of said plurality of bar stiffeners;
• and
• a flange connected to said upper portion of each of said side walls, said flange extending along and defining a substantially hexagonal periphery of said catering container, said flange including means for detachably connecting said catering container to a cover, said detachable connecting means being independent of said plurality of discrete recessed platforms.

A domed cover made of a transparent material for engaging and covering a catering container, comprising:

• a top;
• a plurality of cover walls extending downwardly from said top, each of said plurality of cover walls arcing outwardly and being free of structural ribs;
• a plurality of indentations adjacent said cover walls for engaging said catering container and transferring forces thereto, one of said plurality of indentations being positioned between adjacent ones of said plurality of cover walls;
• a plurality of cover stiffening bars, one of said plurality of cover stiffening bars being disposed between and joining adjacent ones of said plurality of cover walls, each of said plurality of cover stiffening bars being free of structural ribs and projecting downwardly from said top;
• and
• a flange extending around and attached to lower portions of said cover wall and defining a hexagonal periphery, said flange having means for detachably connecting said domed cover to said catering container, said detachable connecting means being independent of said plurality of indentations.

A domed cover for engaging and covering a catering container, comprising:

• a lower portion having a polygonal periphery with projecting comer joints, each of said projecting corner joints being obtuse;
• a top;
• a plurality of cover walls extending downwardly from said top toward said lower portion;
• and
• a plurality of cover stiffening bars, one of said plurality of cover stiffening bars being disposed between and joining adjacent ones of said plurality of cover walls, each of said cover stiffening bars extending across one of said projecting corner joints and being in relative non-alignment with said adjacent ones of said plurality of cover walls, said plurality of cover walls and said plurality of cover stiffening bars circumscribing said top, said plurality of cover walls being in "n" number, said plurality of cover stiffening bars being "n" in number, an interior angle at which each of said plurality of cover stiffening bars meets said adjacent one of said plurality of cover walls being substantially greater than 90.degree..

A domed cover for engaging and covering a catering container, comprising:

• a lower portion having a polygonal periphery with projecting corner joints, each of said projecting corner joints being obtuse;
• a top;
• a plurality of cover walls extending downwardly from said top toward said lower portion;
• a plurality of cover stiffening bars, one of said plurality of cover stiffening bars being disposed between and joining adjacent ones of said plurality of cover walls, each of said cover stiffening bars extending across one of said projecting corner joints and being in relative non-alignment with said adjacent ones of said plurality of cover walls;
• a plurality of discrete indentations that are spaced from each other by a predetermined distance, said plurality of discrete indentations for mating with corresponding portions of said catering container;
• and
• means for detachably connecting said domed cover to said catering container, said detachable connecting means being independent of said plurality of discrete indentations.