There is an unusual phenomenon that is occurring amongst restaurants and restaurant-goers all around the globe. For whatever reason, restaurants are deciding to use plate, bowl and cup alternatives for serving their food. This doesn't mean they're just choosing to use fancy, unique or otherwise different yet standard dishes, but instead are using things that aren't even remotely dishes at all. The tamest of these come in the form of slabs of wood and rock slates, while the more exotic are things like shoes and shovels.

It's not totally apparent what the reasoning for the obscure dinnerware is, or it's likely some sort of gimmick for many places, but it also could be some super hip artisan thing that only the most posh can understand. Sure, it is entertaining, but it gets to the point where it's a little tiring to be fighting against the dishes to eat your meal. Reddit's /r/WeWantPlates is home to capturing all of the strangest choices in dishes made by restaurants. It's pretty clear that the people who make these posts, as well as the rest of us, just want a normal plate.