Nothing is too good for a low price

Yes, you actually read the price right ―TILLGÅNG tray doesn’t cost more. But how durable and useful can a plastic tray at this price actually be? We dare to say quite good actually ― especially after letting both our test lab and our colleagues test it out. But one can wonder what visitors to the IKEA restaurant were thinking when they saw product developer Andrew Deverell going up and down the stairs with a full tray. "I wanted to make sure that there was enough room on the tray for a full meal for one person, and that everything stood firmly on the tray’s textured surface when I went up and down the stairs", explains Andrew Deverell. "Many things can be calculated, but we also have to test that our products work in people’s everyday lives."

Already when the project started, the low price was a requirement. So Andrew and the team needed to balance quality, function and price in every little detail. “We want to use a good plastic which is also strong and can be machine washed. And by being smart in the design process, we were efficient with the amount of plastic ― so we were able to reduce the cost”, says Andrew, and shows how TILLGÅNG has become slightly shorter, narrower and thinner than many standard trays. "It’s as if the tray has shrunk a little, but it still fits in most tray trolleys used by restaurants."

Hidden details that make a difference

Quality is not always visible at first sight. Andrew turns the tray over and shows how the corners are slightly raised and that there’s a slight elevation underneath which the tray rests on. It prevents a vacuum forming between the trays and that they stick together when you stack them. "I like to work with small and hidden details", says Andrew. "Things that are not visible, but are noticeable when using the product, and which actually make people's everyday lives a little better."