Four people seated at a table in a light-blue dining room as a waiter approaches with a covered dish. Soap dispensers are key to maintaining

How quality napkins support your business goals

You'd be hard-pressed to find a restaurant or café without some sort of napkins available for guests. But their quality and convenience range greatly, from bare bones products that hardly do their job to high-end cloths that awe. The good news is you don’t have to go to extremes to make a big difference in your business. Simple upgrades in materials, as well as how you display and supply napkins, can elevate your customers’ satisfaction, not to mention your facility’s hygiene standards and sustainability too.

Let’s take a look at how napkins play an integral role in your business results and some easy tips to take them to the next level.

Why are napkins important for your business?

Whether it's a linen napkin at a sit-down restaurant or a paper napkin with to-go orders, these handy products are an easy way to maintain hygiene standards at your facility.

By making them readily available at tables and condiment stations, you offer an easy way for diners to keep their hands and mouths clean, so they can focus on enjoying their meal. Details like these can enhance your customers’ experience, increasing the chances they’ll return or recommend your restaurant to others.

Napkins also present a great opportunity to advertise your business in unexpected ways. Brand logos or promotions and specials printed onto each individual napkin dispenser are subtle touches that can help advance your goals. Additionally, such attention to detail can make your guests feel like they’ve had a personalized experience — which, according to our research, makes 62% of restaurant-goers more likely to return. [1]

How to level up your napkins

Thoughtful upgrades to napkins can improve overall cleanliness and hygiene in your facility, reduce waste (as better quality napkins mean fewer are needed), and create a more pleasant experience for your customers. In other words, any effort is well worth it.

So, here are some simple, effective ways to step up your napkin game:

Invest in high-quality napkin dispensers

Speed, hygiene, and cost efficiency tend to be priorities in most foodservice environments. Nonetheless, it’s easy to get caught in the hustle and bustle of everyday operations, which is why some establishments may settle for less-than-ideal short-term solutions. Such is the case of setting out stacks of napkins for customers to take. This approach, while seemingly low maintenance, may cause more harm than good.

Not having a designated container for your napkins can cause unnecessary mess and potential hazards, like napkins falling on the floor and creating slip risks. This may lead to additional time and effort (that could be better spent) for your cleaning staff to rectify the situation as often as it arises. Additionally, leaving napkins out in the open can expose them to contamination, putting the health of your guests and employees at risk. Last but not least, opting for this quick fix can contribute to overuse and waste, impacting the planet as well as your budget.

This is where napkin dispensers come in handy, with models available for every type of facility. Tork high-performance paper napkin holders are designed with your business needs, customer satisfaction, and sustainability in mind. Our units feature one-at-a-time release, meaning that guests only take the napkins they need. This significantly cuts down on waste and keeps your product supply neat and tidy. Particularly, Tork Xpressnap® Fit can serve more than twice as many guests between refills and cuts unused napkins thrown away by more than 50%.

Personalize guest experience with Tork Ad-A-Glance

Advertising your business and its offerings doesn't have to stop once you get customers through the door. Using napkin holders to display specials and new menu items makes the most of every space in your facility and could boost your bottom line too. In fact, 21% of restaurant-goers will likely spend more than planned when presented with a table-top display message, such as images of a new appetizer, drink, or dessert. [1]

With Tork Ad-A-Glance®, making this happen couldn't be easier. All you need to do is:

Go to Tork Xpressnap AD-a-Glance.
Select your country.
Identify and select your dispenser.
Choose a predesigned template or create your own.
Save and print your design.
Insert the printout in your napkin dispenser.

Choose the right napkin material

When it comes to balancing practicality and aesthetics, material matters. And while standard paper napkins are usually the most straightforward way to go, you might want to consider other solutions.

The best of both worlds: cloth-like fabrics

If you’re asked about napkin materials, chances are two options come to mind: paper and linen or cloth. But what if you could have the best of both?

Cloth-like napkins closely resemble the look and feel of fabric, adding a premium touch to any table arrangement without the hassle of laundering and potentially higher replacement costs. They also provide the ultimate absorbency and are designed to last through anything from casual dining to a five-course meal.

This type of napkin elevates table settings without compromising on hygiene standards, as its single-use design offers you sanitary disposal. Tork LinStyle® Napkins are durable, soft, and disposable products that look and feel upscale, while being mindful of your budget. Made from 100% virgin fibers and featuring our LinStyle® technology, they can help your establishment reach new horizons, offering exceptional hygiene and style for a better guest experience.

Consider napkin presentation

Showing your guests that you value even the smallest details in your business is a great approach to make a good impression. One simple way to achieve this is to present your napkins neatly and conveniently.

While upscale establishments may go for intricate folds or napkin rings to add a touch of elegance, more casual sit-down environments might consider folding cutlery into napkins. This keeps both the cutlery and the napkins neat and tidy, ready for your guests to use, while protecting tableware from contamination.

There are plenty of techniques to achieve this, but to help your employees get started, consider training them with our basic guides to folding and rolling utensils in napkins:

How to fold cutlery in a paper napkin

The following basic napkin folding method creates a pocket to hold any silverware securely in place:

Step 1: Lay the open napkin on a clean, flat surface so it’s spread out in a square.

Step 2: Fold the napkin in half and then fold it in half again. You should now have a smaller square.

Step 3: Fold the first layer of the open corner to meet the opposite corner.

Step 4: Flip the napkin over.

Step 5: Now fold it upwards into thirds.

Step 6: Tuck the cutlery into the pocket that was formed.

Animated graphic demonstrating how to fold cutlery inside a paper napkin step by step.

How to roll cutlery in a paper napkin

For a different approach, a simple silverware roll technique will do the trick instead:

Step 1: Place the open napkin flat on a clean surface with one corner facing you.

Step 2: Position the cutlery horizontally across the napkin, about 2–3 inches from the bottom corner, with equal spacing on the left and right edges of the napkin. Make sure the tableware handles are lined up evenly.

Step 3: Take the bottom corner of the napkin and fold it up over the silverware so it covers about one-third of the utensils.

Step 4: Fold the left and right sides of the napkin inward, over the end of the cutlery on both sides, slightly overlapping if needed. This keeps the utensils from sliding out during rolling.

Step 5: Starting from the bottom, begin rolling the napkin upward tightly and neatly, covering the silverware completely. This should hold the utensils firmly in place until they are used. As an additional touch, you can secure them further with a napkin ring, sticker, or ribbon.

Animated graphic demonstrating how to roll cutlery inside a paper napkin step by step.

No matter whether folding or rolling feels more appropriate for your establishment, it’s a good idea to have your employees prepare this before opening, so as to limit interruptions during service. This way, your guests are more likely to appreciate the extra effort put into their experience.

At the end of the day, when guests see neatly presented, high-quality napkins and well-stocked dispensers, it reflects attention to detail and care for their experience. These small but mighty touches create a sense of comfort and signal your establishment’s professionalism, making customers feel valued and more likely to enjoy their visit. In other words, good impressions aren’t just about aesthetics — they’re key in encouraging trust and repeat business.

Picking the right fixtures and products for your facility is only half the job — keeping them in top shape is just as important. To make sure all your dispensers are working flawlessly and are ready for your guests, check out our easy step-by-step guides on Tork paper towel, toilet paper, and hand soap dispenser upkeep.

References:

[1] Survey conducted on behalf of Tork Nov 17 to Dec 13, 2017 among a sample of 8289 Europeans aged 18-60 who had eaten at a restaurant at least once during the last month. Independent firm United Minds performed the survey using web panels provided by Cint.