What Side Does the Napkin Go On?
The napkin goes on the left of the plate. That is the short answer, and it holds for almost every formal and semi-formal setting in Western table service.
Why the left
Cutlery is arranged in the order you use it, working from the outside in. Forks sit on the left, knives and spoons on the right. Because you pick up your napkin with your left hand while your right hand stays free for the knife, the napkin belongs on the left, either beside the forks or underneath them.
The three accepted positions
To the left of the forks
The standard. The napkin sits flat to the left of the outermost fork, folded edge facing the plate. This is what you will see in most restaurant and catering setups.
Under the forks
Also correct, and common at weddings where the table is set hours in advance. Placing the forks on top of the napkin stops it drifting and looks tidier in photographs.
On the plate
Correct when the first course is not yet plated. A folded or ringed napkin sits centred on the charger or service plate and is removed by the guest as they sit down. If a course is already on the table when guests arrive, the napkin cannot go here.
Where it should not go
In the glass
You will see it at hotels and it looks impressive, but modern etiquette guides have moved away from it: the napkin has been handled at the point a guest will put their mouth. Fine for a styled photograph, less good for a dinner.
To the right
The right side belongs to the knife, the spoon and the glasses. A napkin there interrupts the sequence and gets knocked.
Buffet and cocktail service
The rules above assume a seated meal. At a buffet, the napkin goes at the end of the line with the cutlery, so guests pick it up last and are not holding it while they serve. A pocket fold with the cutlery tucked inside is genuinely useful here, because guests carry a plate, a drink and their setting in two hands.
At a cocktail hour there is no setting at all. Napkins are stacked or fanned on the bar and handed out with each drink. This is where a printed cocktail napkin earns its place: guests read it while they wait, so names, a monogram or a fun fact land better here than anywhere else on the table.
During and after the meal
When to unfold it
Once the host sits and picks up theirs. At a restaurant, once everyone at the table is seated. Place it on your lap, folded in half with the fold towards you.
If you leave the table
Loosely on your chair, not on the table. A napkin back on the table signals you are finished.
At the end
Loosely to the left of the plate. Not refolded, which suggests it was not used, and not crumpled.
Napkin sizes and what they are for
Dinner napkins around 20 inches are for a seated meal. Luncheon napkins at about 6.5 inches are for lighter courses, cake and buffets. Cocktail or beverage napkins at about 5 inches go under a glass and get handed out at the bar. Guest towels are longer and fold in a band for the powder room and the buffet table.
If you are ordering for an event, our custom napkins come in cocktail, luncheon and guest towel sizes, personalised with names, a monogram, a logo or your own artwork, in full color or foil.