Custom Beverage Napkins vs Custom Luncheon Napkins: Which Should You Print for Mardi Gras?

For most Mardi Gras bars, cocktail hours, and “in-hand drink” moments, Custom Beverage Napkins are the better choice; choose luncheon napkins when you’re serving food and need more surface area for meals and buffet lines.

Shop Custom Beverage Napkins

• Shop Custom Luncheon Napkins

If your goal is a coordinated Mardi Gras kit (table + bar + décor + throws), start at Mardi Gras Swags.

Quick comparison table (decision variables that change the winner)

Choose Custom Beverage Napkins if…

Choose beverage napkins when the event is “drinks-first” and the napkin is a fast, repeat-touch item. Beverage napkins typically win if you match 2+ of these:

• You expect cocktails, beer, or soft drinks to be the main consumption.
• Guests will be standing and moving (bars, nightlife, parade-adjacent parties).
• You have multiple drink pickup points and need small stacks everywhere.
• You want table-level branding without committing to full place settings.
• Your quantity plan is roughly 2–4 beverage napkins per guest for drinks-only service (increase for spill-prone environments).

If beverage service is central, pair napkins with Custom Stadium Cups to keep branding in-hand as well as on-table.

Choose Custom Luncheon Napkins if…

Choose luncheon napkins when food service is real not just snacks and you need a napkin that behaves like meal support. Luncheon napkins typically win if you match 2+ of these:

• You’re serving buffet lines or plated food where napkins are used throughout eating.
• You expect messier foods and want more practical coverage.
• Guests will be seated for stretches or eating at tables.
• You want a slightly larger brand lockup (logo + short event line) without pushing fine detail.
• Your quantity plan is roughly 1–3 luncheon napkins per guest for meals, plus a buffer for refills and high-traffic stations.

For food-forward events, luncheon napkins pair naturally with plates. If you haven’t decided plate type, see Custom Paper Plates vs Custom Plastic Plates: Which Should You Print For Mardi Gras?

Best use cases (Mardi Gras mapping)

• Bars, clubs, cocktail hours: Beverage napkins usually win.
• House parties with heavy drinks and light snacks: Beverage napkins win (distributed stacks).
• Catered Mardi Gras dinners or buffet lines: Luncheon napkins usually win.
• Food trucks / community events serving meals: Luncheon napkins win for practical coverage.
• Sponsor hospitality suites: Luncheon napkins win if food is served; beverage napkins win if it’s mostly drinks.
• Parade-adjacent “open house” drop-ins: Beverage napkins win for throughput and easy staging.

If you’re building a full Mardi Gras tableware plan, this comparison should sit alongside your kit guide:

Branding & imprint considerations (napkin-specific rules)

1) Design for wrinkles and folds

Napkins crumple. That means:

• Use bold logos and thick lines.
• Keep text short.
• Avoid intricate patterns and tiny type.

2) Placement rule that preserves visibility

• Beverage napkins: corner/border placement is the safest for readability in stacks.
• Luncheon napkins: you can use a larger layout, but keep the “read zone” simple and high contrast.

3) Color contrast wins more than “more content”

• High-contrast logos remain readable under mixed lighting and around drinks/condensation.
• If your brand colors are subtle, use an outlined version of the mark.

4) What prints cleanly vs what doesn’t

• Prints cleanly: single bold mark, short event name, year.
• Doesn’t: long slogans, detailed illustrations, small URLs or social handles.

Operational factors (what actually changes your purchase)

Service speed and staging

• Beverage napkins distribute well across many micro-stations (bar, entry, high-top tables).
• Luncheon napkins stage best at food stations and table settings.

Cleanup model

• Drink-first events burn through more napkins quickly; plan larger staging quantities near the bar.
• Meal service tends to be more predictable per guest; keep reserves near buffet lines.

Indoor vs outdoor

• Outdoor and walk-around environments increase spills beverage napkins often become the “utility item” used everywhere.

How to choose between beverage and luncheon napkins in 3 minutes

1. Start with the primary service: drinks-first → beverage; meals/buffet → luncheon.
2. Check station count: many drink stations → beverage; centralized food station → luncheon.
3. Set quantity baseline: drinks-only needs higher count per guest; meals need fewer but larger napkins.
4. Finalize the design rule: bold logo + minimal text either way.

FAQs

Which napkin size is best for a Mardi Gras bar?

Custom Beverage Napkins are usually best for bars because they stage easily at multiple drink points and get used repeatedly.

When do luncheon napkins become the better choice?

Luncheon napkins win when food service is the main activity, especially buffets, plated meals, and messier menus.

How many beverage napkins should I plan per guest?

Plan about 2–4 beverage napkins per guest for drinks-first events, then add extra for spills and high-traffic stations.

How many luncheon napkins should I plan per guest?

Plan about 1–3 luncheon napkins per guest for meal service, plus extras for refills and buffet lines.

Where should I put my logo on napkins?

Use corner or border placement so the logo remains visible in stacks and after folding/wrinkling.

What artwork fails most often on napkins?

Tiny text, thin scripts, and dense patterns fail because napkins wrinkle and lighting varies.

What should I bundle with napkins for Mardi Gras?

Bundle napkins with drinkware and plates for example Custom Stadium Cups for in-hand branding and your chosen plate type for meals.

If I’m still unsure, what’s the safest default?

Default to beverage napkins for drink-heavy Mardi Gras events and use the buyer’s guide to confirm your kit