The problem of balancing a plate and glass while attempting to shake hands or eat is decidedly universal—an unsolved nuisance we’ve all come to tolerate. In fact, current market solutions, all of which involve hanging or balancing glassware off a plate’s edge, are both precarious and inelegant, seeming only to amplify the problem. Because the Holdaplate does not require the user to relinquish their glassware, all that is required for functionality--holding a cup and plate in one hand--is a fluid motion of the hand to nestle the plate alongside. The motion and usability feel, in a word, natural.
Most solutions on the market require a specific type of glassware: either stemware or a narrow-bodied cup. However, it is often not possible to dictate the type of glassware a party host will be using, which limits the universality of these competing solutions. The Holdaplate does not suffer from this problem, as it can nestle alongside literally any size cup, glass, bottle, can, or container. Consumers can purchase it and rest assured that it will function correctly no matter the particular glassware they decide upon for their gathering.
Essentially, when it comes to standard houseware goods, like plateware, aesthetics really do matter. This is because consumers want their guests—the end-users—feeling comfortable and stylish, which is not possible if a traditional product of this nature deviates from the norm (round/flat). Plateware thus must look more or less simple and non-descript. The Holdaplate achieves this, while simultaneously approaching a sense of whimsical beauty; unfortunately, the competition does not share this trait: balancing cups or hanging stemware in a notch or groove is invariably awkward-looking.
If a user must be an expert at balancing glassware on a plate, again, they will feel uncomfortable, and in turn will not use the innovation. The standard party stance—cup in one hand, plate in the other—is still entirely possible with the Holdaplate; its one-handed function is easily attained, momentarily, when the user needs to shake hands or eat. Similarly, the Holdaplate is stackable, usable left- and right-handed, and accommodating of separation between food and fingers--all critically maintained plateware standards.
Plateware product pricing is somewhat commoditized, so minimizing material helps to keep costs in line with the competition (standard round plates), and facilitates manufacturability in a range of materials, from molded fiber to porcelain. The Holdaplate solution--essentially a small contour in a plate's edge--is unobtrusive, functional, and requires no additional material as compared to a traditional same-sized plate.
