Holiday Inn has taken the unprecedented step of banning garlic from its Christmas menu to help single workmates increase their chances of stealing a quick festive kiss under the mistletoe this party season.

Ghastly garlic breath is universally seen as the number one kissing killer and is the most common cause (along with smoking) of occasional bad breath*. But from today, Holiday Inn's ‘Fresh Breath Menu' will be completely garlic-free - no garlic bread, sausage or aioli sauce -- meaning seasonal snogs could be back on the menu for more office workers.

Author of ‘Flirt Coach' and dating expert, Peta Heskall comments: "There's nothing worse than going in for a quick Christmas kiss with your colleague and not being able to look them in the eyes due to the stench of garlic, let alone kiss them.

The Holiday Inn ‘Breath of Fresh Air' menu is a great idea as party goers no longer have to think about whether their food will put anyone off a mistletoe kiss."

Jane Bednall, spokesperson for Holiday Inn comments: "With the party season fast approaching, we saw now as the perfect time to introduce a garlic-free menu to boost people's chances of a kiss at their work Christmas party."

Available at 70 Holiday Inn hotels across the country, the kiss friendly meals include dishes such as a winter vegetable soup, a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings or a roast salmon fillet and a traditional Christmas pudding

* Dr Hilary Jones, GP