How to place Western napkins correctly

Abstract: How to use Western napkins? "Table manners start with the napkin", this is a common saying in Western dining etiquette. Explain the importance of napkins in Western dining etiquette. Napkins are meant to be placed on the lap to prevent food from falling off and staining clothes. They are not spread on the table to protect the hygiene of the table, nor are they tied around the neck and hung on the chest. It’s not like you wear it on a belt and you become a chef. Next, let’s learn about the usage diagram and precautions of Western napkins. How to use Western napkins correctly

1. The correct way to use Western napkins: Put the napkin on your lap. Pick up the napkin from the table, fold it in half, then turn the pleats toward you and spread it on your lap.

2. Never shake out the napkin, wrap it around your neck like a bib, or tuck it into your collar.

3. It is also wrong to tuck the corner of the napkin into the buttonhole or belt.

4. If the texture of the clothes is slippery and the napkin is easy to slip off, you should tuck the corner of the napkin into your belt in a less eye-catching way, or tuck the left and right ends under your thighs.

5. The napkin is used to wipe the mouth. The napkin is of course to prevent the sauce from dripping and staining the clothes.

6. But the most important thing is to wipe your mouth. After eating greasy food, your mouth is full of grease. It would be really indecent to talk to others with this dignified appearance. Moreover, when drinking, oil stains will be left on the glass, which is even more unsightly. As for lipstick, you should also wipe it lightly with a napkin to prevent lip marks from staining the wine glass.

7. There is no need to fold the napkin neatly after use. When you have finished eating, you should stand up. First, pick up the napkin on your lap, fold it randomly, then place the napkin on the left side of the table, and then stand up and leave your seat. Western-style napkin The cloth uses ceremonial and ceremonial images.

Illustrations of using Western napkins

1. Before eating

(1) After sitting down, do not rush to open your napkin. The first person to open the napkin should be the host. This action announces the official start of the dinner. This is except for buffets, where you can unfold the napkin when you start eating at the buffet.

(2) Please be careful not to take the wrong napkin from someone else.

In more formal banquets, napkins are usually folded and placed on a decorative plate in the middle of the table.

If the napkin is not placed on the middle plate, it will be to your left, and the napkin on the right belongs to the guest sitting to your right.

Sometimes Western napkins are also placed in cups. In this case, your napkin is in the cup on the right.

(3) Use gentle movements to unfold the napkin, do not use too much force or shake the napkin. The size of the napkin determines how far to unfold the napkin.

For larger napkins provided at more formal banquets, unfold them in half and place them on your lap.

If it is a smaller napkin, it can be fully unfolded to cover the thighs.

(4) If you are not a child or someone who has difficulty dining, it is best not to hang the napkin on your chest. Don't fold the napkin to the buckle or waistband. (But if you want to serve some scattered snacks, if the host puts the napkin under the chin or around the neck, you can also do so with the host)

2. During the meal

(1) Napkins are used to prevent sauce from dripping and staining clothes when eating Western food. But the main thing is to wipe your mouth. When you accidentally get your mouth full of grease during a meal, you need to wipe your mouth with a napkin. Note:

After eating greasy food, your mouth will be full of grease. It is really indecent to talk to others with such a dignified appearance, so you should wipe your mouth with a napkin in time.

When drinking, oil stains will be left on the glass, which is very unsightly, so be sure to wipe your mouth with a napkin before drinking.

Ladies who have applied lipstick should wipe it with a napkin before drinking to avoid staining the lipstick on the wine glass.

When wiping your mouth with a napkin, avoid making too big movements. The correct and elegant way to use it is to wipe it lightly.

(2) The napkin is used to wipe the mouth, so do not use it to wipe the face or wipe the tableware. If you need to wipe away sweat or wipe dishes, you can use paper towels.

(3) Napkins can be stained. If you do not want to stain the napkin and take out your own handkerchief or tissue to use, this is against dining etiquette.

(4) When spitting out fish bones or fruit seeds, you can use a napkin to cover your mouth, spit directly into the napkin, and then fold the napkin inward.

(5) It is best to avoid leaving the table in the middle of the banquet. If you have to leave temporarily, there are two general methods:

Use a plate or knife to press the corner of the napkin and let it slide. It hangs down from the edge of the table, and of course it looks better with the dirty side facing inward.

Fold the napkin and place it on the chair. If the chair is upholstered, the greasy side of the napkin should be facing up.

3. After the meal

(1) When the meal is finished, the host puts the napkin back on the table first, which means the dinner is over.

(2) After finishing the meal, first pick up the napkin on your lap, fold it randomly (you don’t have to fold it neatly, but you don’t want to make the napkin wrinkled), and then put the napkin on your lap. to the left side of the plate, then stood up and left his seat. It is not etiquette to shake or fold the napkin after you stand up.

(3) If there is still coffee served after the meal, the napkin will of course remain on the lap until it is used up and then put back on the table.

Note: If you find a napkin ring on the napkin, take out the napkin ring and place it on the upper left side of your seat. When you're done eating, take your napkin, thread it through the napkin ring, and place it with one end facing toward the center of the table.