I put a napkin in my lap when I’m eating any meal anywhere including a breakfast of only toast. I’ve never thought of it, but perhaps I’m simply a messy eater. I seem to notice there’s always one bit that drops during the meal.

Generally if the restaurant provides cloth napkins I will, but otherwise I won’t.

Where else? Old habits are hard to break. However, I do have a pet peeve about scanty napkins. If the napkin isn’t in my lap, I require one at least large enough to be used as a bib.

Yes, in a restaurant – not at home.

No, I’m a slob. I WILL put one on my lap when I’m wolfing a burger down on the way to work, or a breakfast burrito. Those things are messy. But a hungry guy can’t stand on ceremony.

Yes. Unless I’m in the class of restaurant where the waiter gives the crisp square of cloth a brisk one-handed flip onto my lap. That’s not happening much any more.

Yes, at home, too.

Of course. I do it at home as well.

Sometimes. Not always. Nor often.

I’m most likely to spill on myself when I’m at home munching on the couch. I have some shirts with stains right above the belly line where, on a sofa, my torso bends to form a little shelf.

When I am sitting upright and paying attention at a table, I basically never spill.

Yes, except those futzy useless little paper squares.

Yes, usually.

It’s a good practice to put napkin or handkerchief on your lap when having a meal whether outside or not, because if by mistake something drops, (soup for example), the napkin will protect the clothes from ruining to some extent. And probably no stain either. Some stains are extremely hard to remove even with good detergent. So precaution is better than cure.

No longer at home since my grandfather’s time when he called them serviettes. They were large and made of cloth and served their purpose. The paper napkins you get in restaurants nowadays are useless. They are small and light and too easily slide from your lap onto the floor.

In a restaurant? Always. At home, it depends upon on where I sit. At a table, it is placed in my lap. If eating off of a tray in front of the television, it stays on the tray.

Yes. My mother spent a lot of time teaching me table manners, how to switch the knife and fork from hand to hand, how to hold the fork and knife when cutting, etc.

Of course. I may be a gorilla, but I’m not a savage!

No. I leave it on the table then grab it when needed.

Yes, almost always, especially at a full service restaurant. Maybe not always at fast food, but even there I usually do.

I noticed that Rick crumpled his napkin up on the table. IE: he didn’t put in on his lap. Wasn’t sure if I should say something, which is why I took this poll.

I have been accused of putting my napkin on other laps. It is true.

I do. I don’t do it at home. We use a box of tissues as a napkin dispenser. I will put one over my keyboard it I am eating something messy.

All paper products go into an old paper bag so they can be converted into heat in the wood burning stove.

No. I just hover above the plate so that nothing falls off the table.