Kitchen Towels Should Stay in the Kitchen

It's just a sign of the economy. Like staycations a few years back, restaurants have been trending toward casual and comfortable so people won't feel bad about going out to eat. It's supposed to feel like you're dining at home, I guess.

Problem is, I don't use a kitchen towel to wipe my mouth at home. Kitchen towels are for wiping the counter top, not to lay on my lap.

One of the latest things popping up at restaurants lately are kitchen towels used for napkins. Gone are the white linens. Now we get these big towels that to me seem awkward on the lap, like I'm on a break from washing the dishes. But my main pet peeve about kitchen towels for napkins is not that it seems weird, it's that after a few wash they often seem to lose their shape and then you get lint all over your pants.

I don't mind the kitchen towel for napkins when it fits into the restaurant's concept, like at a restaurant that has crab feeds where you get messy or when the place is called Mama's. But at almost every other restaurants, especially where entrees begin at $25, maybe they can still afford a nice napkin for their guests.

My friends think I'm making a big deal about this because a napkin is a napkin, even if it came from the kitchen. What do you think? Do you think it's an odd trend to use kitchen towels for napkins or do you think it's a cute gimmick for the times?

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