Nabbin’ Napkins

Couple of things got me thinking of blogging about this, first, on a spaghetti night (or two ago) I was out of napkins so I hastily tore off, folded, and tucked into the napkin basket (some people have napkin holders but we have a predominantly placed basket) some paper towels from the kitchen. Steph, a good friend and guest, mentioned that she had the exact same kind of napkins at her house with a chuckle. Then on another evening while enjoying a delish dinner of goulash at the invitation of convivial friends, Jim and Shannon, Jim instructed Addison (their son and fellow goulash connoisseur) to get JoMomma a napkin, and he brought a couple of the brown paper variety that either came from Panera or Taco Bell, the latter I found out later. Yes, I am the kind of eater that requires a couple of napkins, but that is not my focus here. I am actually blogging about the fact that I rarely buy paper napkins because I usually keep my basket filled with napkins nabbed from other eateries and how nice it is that although you have to pay to super-size your order you don’t to super-size your napkin quantity. I just ask for extra napkins when I get to the window at the drive through unless I am going in, and avoiding dashboard dining by opting for the sit down at the restaurant dining experience. I have also noticed that my daughter Nicole is a napkin nabber with her own basket of purloined napkins at her place and when my granddaughter, Madison, notices my basket is low she goes out to her Daddy’s car and brings some nabbed napkins in to replenish my supply. I try to keep a few nabbed napkins in my car too for the occasional unexpected sneeze or spill.

Lastly here is a quick rundown on nab-able napkin quality. Several establishments offer the brown napkins (no different from the bleached white, except color) and if you don’t mind the extra advertising you can nab extra napkins that are the next size up from Subway. I have it on good authority that the best nab-able napkins can be found (and nabbed) at Lambert’s in Orlando. The worst (least absorbable so you need more of them to do the job, especially when eating a burger and Cajun fries) in my opinion, are at 5 Guys, but you never have to ask for extras because the napkins are readily available in a towering dispenser at the pickup end of the counter. I never leave 5 Guys without one pocketful of napkins, the other pocket full of peanuts, and a happy tummy.

P.S. Happy Pi Day! There’s a napkin for that too!