The New Orleans Menu

Black Napkins

Greg asks:

I've noticed that a number of restaurants have a policy of replacing the napkin with which the table is set with a black napkin when they seat you. I've had it happen that they actually remove the white napkin from my lap and put a black on there. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't. But it seems that all restaurants that do this started doing it at the same time. I think it's a secret signal of some sort to the wait staff, but I can't figure out what it's supposed to be saying. Do you know?

Tom sez:

Greg, this is another one of those questions that you wouldn't ask if you were a woman. You'd know that the black napkin is brought when the guest is wearing dark-colored clothing, in order to keep lint from the white napkin from showing on that fine little black dress. Now, I wear dark-colored suits most of the time, and never in my life noticed napkin lint. However, women have been complaining about this to me for years. I guess we guys just don't notice the line, either on ourselves or the ladies. (All the female readers are nodding right now.) It's just another service nicety in the best restaurants.

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