...One Plate? ..or several?

Fig.1  The Earth's crust, segmented into a number of plates.  But all segments are tied by the spreading ridges, and all segments show no rotation relative to their neighbour.

 
"Oh!  How much? Are you sure you're not overcharging?"
"No Ma'am, we charge by the plate here."
"But, ..but, ...I only had noodles, ..one plate of noodles."
"No Madam, You had five plates.  You see?  This is one plate and here's another, .."
"Well I saw that when you served it.  ..A crack running right down the middle and at least two others, ..one over here and another over there.  I thought to myself, what sort of establishment is this, ..serving cracked plates? "
"Madam, I can assure you this is an establishment of the highest integrity.  You had five plates."
"How can you possibly insist, .. when it is clearly one?  The five you are insisting are merely cracks in one plate.  It is One Plate."
"No Ma'am, I insist. ...five plates."
<....>
" I say, ..  over there, ..How many plates am I holding in my hand?
"One plate, Ma'am."
"One plate. Thank you.  And you over there?"
"One plate, Doll,  ...Wanna root?"
"No thank you.  ..There, you see?  One Plate."
"No Madam, ..We disagree, ..five plates."
"Well, I never!  How are we to resolve this?
"It's very simple really.  May I?"
"Oh dear!  Now you've broken it."
"Yes, Ma'am, ..unfortunately we always have to do this.  See?  Two plates.  Now, you see?  ..three plates, ..and four, ..and five.."
"B..but..  "
"No 'butts', .. unless you would care to take up that gentleman's offer.  This establishment ensures value for money."
"But I only had one...  I'm sure.   "
"Madam, ..if you insist on not availing yourself of the extras... well, ..you can hardly say you are not getting value for money."
"I say, ..what can you possibly mean, sir?  That I should be literally *screwed* as well?"
"Exactly Ma'am.  Now, if you would be so kind, .. the Bill."