A neat tray prepared, 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)
'a neat tray prepared' is the wordplay.
'prepared' indicates anagramming the letters.
'neat'+'tray'='neattray'
'neattray' is an anagram of 'tanyrate'.
'a'+'tanyrate'='AT ANY RATE'
(Other definitions for at any rate that I've seen before include "Nevertheless" , "regardless of the cost?" , "Anyhow, anyway" , "Whatever may happen" , "regardless of the speed" .)