Fast food chains across Britain are quickly losing incentive to stock healthy alternatives for diners, with lack of demand seeing thousands of salads thrown away each day, according to a Times survey.

Three chains - McDonald’s, Burger King and KFC - in six cities were observed as part of the research, during which only two customers in Manchester and one in London ordered a salad, the paper reported.

No one visiting the eateries in Newcastle, Bristol, Birmingham or Maidstone ordered a salad, although the paper stated that in several restaurants there were no fresh salad options available.

Bags of both fresh-cut apple and carrot were “only slightly better,” it said.