Napkin Calculator — Napkin Quantities

For a sit-down meal, allow 1-2 napkins per person (round up for messy food like BBQ or lobster). For a buffet, allow 2-3 per person as guests return to the food station multiple times. For cocktail and canape receptions, allow 3-4 per person as they double up as small plates. Paper napkins go faster than cloth, so add 20-30% extra.

Cloth napkins are more elegant for formal events and weddings. UK linen-hire suppliers charge roughly £0.40-£0.80 each including professional laundry and pressing (white plain napkins commonly around £0.75-£0.79). Paper napkins cost £0.02-£0.10 each but you need more per person and they are single-use. For casual parties and kids events, paper is the practical choice. Selecting "Linen / Cloth" above models one reusable napkin per guest per course and prices it on a per-napkin hire basis.

Approximate square sizes: cocktail 15-23cm (6-9 in), luncheon/tea 41-46cm (16-18 in), dinner 46-51cm (18-20 in), and formal 51-56cm (20-22 in). For formal dinners the larger sizes are standard; for buffets and casual events smaller luncheon or cocktail napkins work well. Treat these as ranges, as suppliers vary by a couple of centimetres.

Always put out 20-30% more paper napkins than you think you need. Place them at the food station, bar area, and on tables. For cloth napkins, have about 10% spare for late arrivals and accidents. People always use more napkins than expected. The Waste Buffer option above adds this allowance for you (15% by default for paper, capped at 10% for cloth).