It is the curse of modern dining: order a meal and it arrives not on a dinner plate but artfully arranged on a piece of slate, a wooden board or worse.

Diners across Britain are being presented with chips in plant pots, fried breakfasts in kilner jars, and even food - human food - in dog bowls.

However, chefs should take note. A poll by YouGov has found that customers are overwhelmingly in favour of round plates.