[dropcap1]Q. [/dropcap1]Why do restaurants place a white or light-colored napkin folded up on the plate, and then come by and swap it off for a black one? I've had it happen that they actually remove the white napkin from my lap! Seems that all restaurants that do this started doing it at the same time. I think it's a secret signal of some sort to the wait staff, but I can't figure out what it's supposed to be saying. Do you know? [dropcap1]A. [/dropcap1]This is another one of those questions that puzzle only men. Women know that the black napkin is brought when the guest is wearing dark-colored clothing, in order to keep lint from the white napkin from showing on that fine little black dress. Women complained about this for years before the black-napkin trend began. I guess we guys just don't notice the lint, either on ourselves or the ladies. (All the female readers are nodding right now.) I wear dark-colored suits most of the time, and never in my life noticed napkin lint. So it's just another service nicety in the best restaurants. . . or is it? A thought occurred to me a few years ago that made me slap my forehead. What stains would ever be seen on a black napkin? None, really. A white napkin, however, shows everything: red wine, grease spots, inkpen marks, lipstick. Everything. Aha! So that's the reason. I should have noticed that the black napkins started showing up around the time when tablecloths began to disappear.
