Scoffed carrying a new tray, different if nothing else (2,3,4)
I believe the answer is:
at any rate
'if nothing else' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'scoffed carrying a new tray different' is the wordplay.
'scoffed' becomes 'ate' ('to scoff' is to eat).
'carrying' is an insertion indicator.
'new' becomes 'n' (common abbreviation eg NT for New Testament).
'different' is an anagram indicator.
'tray' anagrammed gives 'yrat'.
'a'+'n'+'yrat'='anyrat'
'ate' placed around 'anyrat' is 'AT ANY RATE'.
(Other definitions for at any rate that I've seen before include "Whatever happens" , "Anyhow, anyway" , "come what may" , "if nothing else" , "regardless of the cost?" .)