The napkin usually goes on the left side of the dinner plate in a standard table setting, though some formal styles place it on the plate or occasionally on the right.

Quick rule

  • Most common: left of the plate, near the forks.
  • Also acceptable: on top of the plate for formal or decorative settings.
  • Less common: right side in some French-style settings.

Practical tip

If you’re setting a simple dinner table, placing the napkin on the left is the safest, most widely recognized choice.

After the meal

When the meal is over, the napkin is typically left loosely folded to the left of the plate, not crumpled.