Notes on Napkins

Odds are your new recruits and summer associates are attending their first business lunches and dinners. Believe it or not, these events can be overwhelming, especially to those who have grown up in a world in which meals are delivered or micro-waved and consumed on the run.

Over the next several weeks, we’ll address key rules of dining etiquette. Let’s start with the napkin.

• As soon as all invited guests are seated, the host/hostess should place the napkin in his/her lap. Everyone else should then follow suit. 

• If your host/hostess fails to place his/her napkin in their lap, the summer associate or recruit should take the initiative and place their napkin in his or her own lap.

• When placing the napkin in the lap, discretely unfold it, and place it fold towards you. Avoid waving a napkin about. 

• If you need to excuse yourself from the table, fold the napkin once or twice, and place it in your chair.

Once the meal has ended, and just as you begin to leave the table, fold your napkin upon itself and place it on the table.  

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