Many people use this type of spoon for citrus fruits or other soft fruits because it combines the function of a spoon and a small cutting edge in one simple tool.
It may look strange at first, but it’s actually a clever kitchen utensil designed to make enjoying fruit quicker and easier.
The Serrated Spoon in Your Drawer — What That Weird Pointy Spoon Is Actually For
You have seen this photo in a "what is this thing?" group: a normal-looking stainless teaspoon, but the tip is pointed like a leaf and both edges are lined with tiny saw teeth.
It is not a broken spoon. It is not a medical tool. It is a grapefruit spoon — also called a citrus spoon, an orange spoon, or a pamplemousse spoon — and it was designed in the 1920s specifically to eat grapefruit without spraying juice in your eye.
Why the teeth and the point?
Grapefruit, oranges, and pomelos have membranes that hold each segment together. A normal spoon slides off them. A knife makes a mess.
The serrated edges on your spoon are miniature saws. When you run the side along the inside of the peel, the teeth cut through the membrane in one stroke. The pointed tip lets you get into the narrow end of the segment where a round spoon cannot reach.
In short: scoop, saw, lift — no knife needed.
Your photo shows the classic American diner version from the 1950s-70s: stainless steel, 6 inches long, bowl about the size of a teaspoon, serrations on both sides, sharp point. That design is still sold today by Oneida, Liberty Tabletop, and dozens of restaurant supply companies for about $1.50 each.
A brief history
