Napkin Sizes: Cocktail, Luncheon, Dinner and Cloth
Napkin packs list folded sizes, recipes for table settings list open sizes, and Europe uses centimeters. This chart gives every standard napkin in all three forms, plus how many to buy and how to cut your own.
Standard paper napkins measure, unfolded: cocktail (beverage) 10 × 10 in (25 × 25 cm), luncheon 13 × 13 in (33 × 33 cm) and dinner 15 × 17 in or 17 × 17 in (about 40 × 40 cm). Cloth dinner napkins are usually 20 × 20 in (50 × 50 cm), with formal napkins up to 24 in (60 cm) square.
- Cocktail
- 10 × 10 in (25 cm)
- Luncheon
- 13 × 13 in (33 cm)
- Paper dinner
- 15 × 17 in
- Cloth dinner
- 20 × 20 in (50 cm)
On this page
Napkin size chart
Napkins are named by meal. Sizes are given unfolded, then folded the way they come out of the pack.
| Napkin | Unfolded (in) | Unfolded (cm) | Folded | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocktail / beverage (paper) | 10 × 10 | 25 × 25 | 5 × 5 in (quarter fold) | Drinks, appetizers, cake at a party |
| Luncheon (paper) | 13 × 13 | 33 × 33 | 6.5 × 6.5 in (quarter fold) | Lunch, brunch, dessert, casual meals |
| Dinner (paper) | 15 × 17 or 17 × 17 | 38 × 43 or 43 × 43 | About 4.25 × 7.5-8.5 in (eighth fold) | Main meals, buffets |
| Guest towel (paper) | 13 × 16 | 33 × 41 | About 4.25 × 8 in | Powder rooms, hand drying |
| Cocktail (cloth) | 6 × 6 to 9 × 9 | 15-23 square | Usually flat or in quarters | Drinks, hors d'oeuvres |
| Luncheon (cloth) | 14 × 14 to 18 × 18 | 35-45 square | Quarters | Lunch, breakfast, tea |
| Dinner (cloth) | 18 × 18 to 22 × 22 | 45-55 square | Many folds | Everyday and dinner party; 20 × 20 is the norm |
| Formal dinner (cloth) | 22 × 22 to 24 × 24 | 55-60 square | Many folds | Formal multi-course dinners, weddings |
Pack sizes are not standardized to the half inch. A "luncheon" napkin from one brand may open to 12.5 × 12.5 in and from another to 13.5 × 13.5 in, and some brands quote the folded size only. If the label says 6.5 × 6.5 in, that is a luncheon napkin; 5 × 5 in is a cocktail napkin.
Paper napkin sizes in centimeters
Outside the US, paper (tissue) napkins are sold in a set of metric sizes, and packs usually show the open size.
| Size | Inches | Typical name | Nearest US size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 × 20 cm | 7.9 × 7.9 | Coffee or mini cocktail | Smaller than any standard US size |
| 24 × 24 cm | 9.4 × 9.4 | Cocktail | Cocktail (10 × 10 in) |
| 25 × 25 cm | 9.8 × 9.8 | Cocktail | Cocktail (10 × 10 in) |
| 33 × 33 cm | 13 × 13 | Lunch | Luncheon (13 × 13 in) |
| 40 × 40 cm | 15.7 × 15.7 | Dinner | Dinner (15 × 17 in) |
| 48 × 48 cm | 18.9 × 18.9 | Large dinner | Between paper and cloth dinner |
Decoupage crafters use the same sizes: 33 × 33 cm lunch napkins are the most common printed designs, and only the top ply is used.
Cloth napkin sizes
Cloth napkins are larger than paper because they are reused, folded decoratively and expected to cover a lap fully.
- 20 × 20 in (50 × 50 cm) is the standard dinner napkin from both retail and linen rental companies. Folded in quarters, it is 10 in square, which covers most laps.
- 18 × 18 in (45 × 45 cm) is common in everyday sets and in cafés. It folds neatly into a pocket for cutlery.
- 22 × 22 in (55 × 55 cm) and larger are used for formal dinners, where napkins are folded into shapes or laid across the charger plate. A 24-inch napkin folded once covers the lap of a guest in a long dress.
- Luncheon and tea napkins of 14 to 18 in are sold for breakfast and afternoon tea, and cocktail napkins of 6 to 9 in for drinks.
Cotton and linen shrink when washed. Unwashed linen can lose several percent, so buy pre-washed napkins or allow an inch extra if you sew your own.
Which napkin for which occasion
| Occasion | Napkin | Per guest |
|---|---|---|
| Cocktail party, drinks only | Cocktail, paper or cloth | 2-3 |
| Cocktail party with heavy appetizers | Cocktail plus some luncheon | 3-4 in total |
| Birthday party with cake | Luncheon | 1-2 |
| Buffet dinner | Paper dinner or cloth dinner, plus cocktail at the bar | 1 dinner, 1-2 cocktail |
| Seated dinner | Cloth dinner, 20 in or larger | 1, with a spare per table |
| Barbecue or ribs | Paper dinner napkins, 2-ply or 3-ply | 3-4 |
The per-guest figures are common planning allowances, not rules. For outdoor events, heavier dinner napkins blow away less than thin cocktail napkins.
Napkins in the place setting
A folded napkin sits to the left of the forks, on the plate, or in the water glass. On a placemat of 12 × 18 in, a dinner napkin folded into a rectangle about 5 in wide fits beside the plate without hanging over the edge. A 20-inch cloth napkin folded in thirds and then in half makes a rectangle of roughly 6.5 × 10 in, which fits the left side of a standard placemat. On a bare table or tablecloth, the napkin usually goes about 1 in from the table edge, in line with the base of the plate.
Coordinate sizes across a set: the table runner guide covers widths and lengths, and the dining table size guide shows how many place settings each table takes at about 24 in (61 cm) per person.
Making cloth napkins: cut sizes and fabric
Add twice the hem allowance to the finished size. A narrow double hem of ¼ in uses ½ in of fabric per edge; a ½-inch double hem uses 1 in per edge.
| Finished size | Cut, ¼ in double hem | Cut, ½ in double hem |
|---|---|---|
| 12 × 12 in (cocktail-luncheon) | 13 × 13 in | 14 × 14 in |
| 16 × 16 in (luncheon) | 17 × 17 in | 18 × 18 in |
| 18 × 18 in (everyday dinner) | 19 × 19 in | 20 × 20 in |
| 20 × 20 in (dinner) | 21 × 21 in | 22 × 22 in |
- From 44-45 in quilting cotton (about 42 in usable between the selvages): two 20-inch cuts fit across, so four 18-inch napkins need 40 in of length, about 1⅛ yd. Buy 1¼ yd to allow for straightening and shrinkage.
- From 54 in or 58-60 in linen: two 22-inch cuts fit across for 20-inch napkins. Four napkins need 44 in, so buy 1⅓ yd (48 in); six need 66 in, so buy 2 yd.
- Mitered corners are neater than folded ones on napkins with a ½-inch hem, and they lie flat after washing.
Wash and dry cotton and linen before cutting. Fabric that shrinks after hemming pulls the corners out of square.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between lunch and cocktail napkins?
A cocktail (beverage) napkin is 10 × 10 in open and folds to 5 × 5 in, sized to sit under a glass or hold a canapé. A luncheon napkin is 13 × 13 in open and folds to 6.5 × 6.5 in, large enough to cover a lap for a light meal or dessert.
What size is a standard cocktail napkin in cm?
Unfolded, a US cocktail napkin is about 25 × 25 cm (10 × 10 in) and folds to about 12.5 cm square. European cocktail napkins are usually 24 × 24 or 25 × 25 cm; a 20 × 20 cm size is also sold for small drinks and coffee.
What size are dinner napkins in cm?
Paper dinner napkins are usually 40 × 40 cm, or 38 × 43 cm for the US 15 × 17 in size. Cloth dinner napkins are typically 45 to 55 cm square, with 50 × 50 cm the most common.
What size is a guest towel napkin?
Paper guest towels for bathrooms are about 13 × 16 in (33 × 41 cm) unfolded and are sold folded in thirds to about 4.25 × 8 in.
How many napkins do I need per guest?
A common planning figure is 2 to 3 cocktail napkins per guest at a drinks party, and 1 dinner napkin plus 1 or 2 cocktail or luncheon napkins per guest for a buffet with dessert.