Can you use both?

Absolutely. Put cocktail napkins with drinks before dinner, then use full-size napkins at each place setting. Repeating a colour or pattern family between the two makes the transition feel intentional.

THE WOLDS JOURNAL · Cocktail Napkins

Cocktail Napkins vs Dinner Napkins: What’s the Difference?

Cocktail napkins and dinner napkins serve different jobs. Here is how size, placement and occasion differ — and when to use each.

Cocktail napkins and full-size dinner napkins are both made for the table, but they solve different problems. The easiest distinction is scale: cocktail napkins are smaller and designed for drinks, canapés and informal serving; dinner napkins give you more surface area for a seated meal.

What is a cocktail napkin?

A cocktail napkin is a compact paper napkin intended for drinks and small bites. WOLDS cocktail napkins measure 25 × 25 cm when unfolded. Their smaller folded footprint makes them easy to stack beside a drinks tray, bar or bowl of snacks.

What is a dinner paper napkin?

WOLDS full-size paper napkins measure 40 × 33 cm unfolded. They are designed for lunch and dinner tables, where a larger napkin is more useful throughout a meal.

When should you use cocktail napkins?

Use them for aperitifs, pre-dinner drinks, cocktails, canapés, coffee or anywhere guests are moving around rather than sitting for a full meal. Designs such as Espresso Check and Oat Check are specifically made in the smaller cocktail format.