Where should the napkin be placed when setting a table?

A napkin can be wrapped with a ring or folded and placed on top of the dinner plate for an informal or family-style meal. The dinner plate is located at the center of the place setting, with forks on the left and knives and spoons on the right.

It is also appropriate to place the napkin under the forks, according to Emily Post. For a formal place setting where several courses are served, the napkin is folded and placed to the left of the forks, which are located to the left of the dinner plate. The bottom of the napkin aligns with the base of the cutlery, which sits 1 inch from the edge of the table.