slo’s THURSDAY 9/8 poll - Putting Your Napkin On Your Lap

[slo]

*Poll inspired by the no elbows on the table thread

When eating, do you put your napkin on your lap?
If yes….when?
(multiple choice)



For Me…..I only put my napkin on my lap when I‘m at a fine dining restaurant.
If I’m not fine dining, then the napkin is on the table.

 

[Kitty 34]

Yes, when out at a restaurant or eating a formal meal ( ex: Thanksgiving) at home or someone's house.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

When I'm at a restaurant that uses cloth napkins, yes I put it on my lap. At home we always use paper napkins and I just leave it by my plate.

 

[Meriweather]

Only on lap when dining out and when dining with cloth napkins for holidays at home.
Otherwise at the side of my plate, bowl or whatever I am eating out of

 

[mrodgers]

I'm guessing I spurred the spin-off from my answer in the other thread, so you know my answer

 

[wenrob]

Always. Not out of a sense of propriety just how I was taught. Feels weird leaving it on the table.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Yes, always. Another habit ingrained in me as a child.

If I’m at a restaurant where the utensils are rolled in a napkin, first thing I do is put the napkin on my lap and the utensils in the proper places (fork on left, knife and spoon on right).

 

[Moliphino]

It it's somewhere with cloth napkins, that goes on my lap. Paper napkins may be on my lap or the table, depending. We don't use napkins at home unless we're eating something messy (and then it's actually paper towels, not napkins).

 

[WDWEPCOT]

Nap nap nappty nap
I’m a nap person if cloth or paper - I’m a stickler about manners ( ask my kids ) especially table manners - and just me - BUT paper towels are NOT napkins - ( or tissues ) not in my house - I only have about 100 cloth napkins and one of those giant pkgs of paper napkins with a fancy napkin holder right next to the paper towels - don’t grab a paper towel - but often I request the table to be set for meals which means - everything needed to enjoy the meal and all food served in serving dishes -
Now you will say - no too much work - I will say - yes but that’s what a dishwasher is for and i grew up with paper plates no napkins and pots and pans on dinner table and horrid table manners - so there is the reason I do what I do ! Needless to say our family meals were not pleasant by any means ! Not how meals should go ! So I strive for a nice pretty setting and a pleasant meal with lively conversation and NO phones allowed at table so people will talk to each other - you know like back in days of old

 

[NannyBeBe]

My napkin is always on my lap when eating out. I keep it on the table at home because if I put it on my lap, one of my dogs will sneak up and grab it.

 

[Moliphino]

Nap nap nappty nap
I’m a nap person if cloth or paper - I’m a stickler about manners ( ask my kids ) especially table manners - and just me - BUT paper towels are NOT napkins - ( or tissues ) not in my house - I only have about 100 cloth napkins and one of those giant pkgs of paper napkins with a fancy napkin holder right next to the paper towels - don’t grab a paper towel - but often I request the table to be set for meals which means - everything needed to enjoy the meal and all food served in serving dishes -

Paper napkins are inferior to paper towels in every way. Using a paper napkin is like trying to clean your hands with tissue paper. I'm a millennial and happy to contribute to killing paper napkins.

 

[ronandannette]

We’re a cloth napkin household too and it’s always on my lap, whether at home or eating out, if the napkin is cloth. Paper ones are sometimes hard to keep on your lap and I usually ask for an extra one for just in case the first one falls on the floor.

 

[soccerdad72]

Usually just when eating out, doesn't really matter what type of restaurant, as long as they have real napkins and not those little diner ones that come out of a dispenser.

At home, only when we're eating a nice dinner, typically just at the holidays.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

When we eat out, the napkin is on my lap. At home, the napkin is paper and is usually scrunched up on the table.

 

[Ta.Ham1989]

If a cloth napkin is provided it goes on my lap. Paper Napkins usually on the table.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

When at home with just me and my husband then I just have the napkin on the tv tray. Other than that I always put my napkin on my lap when out for a meal, when guests are over, or when at someone else's home. The only exception I can really think of is when we go out for wings because I use approximately 8000 napkins and putting one on my lap is just a waste of time!

 

[disneychrista]

I prefer it on the table by my plate so I can actually use it.

 

[JLTraveling]

Cloth napkin on the lap, paper napkin on the table.

 

[Mysterian]

One is not enough. Napkin on the table, one in the lap, another tucked into collar, one covering each shoe, and a concentric ring of napkins surrounding my chair. Now come the tacos.

 

[MIGrandma]

I prefer it on the table by my plate so I can actually use it.

You can’t use it if it’s on your lap?

For me, it’s always on my lap whether it’s fine dining, a diner, or fast food.