The Origin of the Little Plastic Table in Pizza Boxes

Little plastic table-looking things found in pizza boxes are about as synonymous with delivery as crushed peppers and grated parmesan. They’re one of those things that seemingly work so well that they don’t require an explanation. But what is the real purpose of this miniature three-legged accessory?

Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t originally designed to resemble a table, its shape has a specific purpose that helps to ensure your pizza arrives intact and ready to eat. According to Snopes, some reports suggest its creation can be traced to Carmela Vitale, a Long Islander who filed a patent for it in 1983. Vitale named her tiny creation the “package saver”.

A description of the patent filed by Vitale explains:

Since then, the industry has popularized the term “pizza saver”, as it literally saves your pizza from sticking to the saggy roof of a cardboard pizza box. This happens when steam from piping hot pizza causes the roof to sag. Without protection, pizza commonly arrived with extra cardboard toppings.

Vitale’s patent succinctly outlines:

In hopes of acquiring additional details on the inspiration behind the “pizza saver”, Eater attempted to contact Vitale’s family and the lawyers who helped her file the patent but were unsuccessful.

One thing’s for sure, Vitale’s memory will live on in each intact and safely delivered pizza.