Bulk Napkin Dispensers: A Symbol Of Yesteryear?
Though the bulk napkin dispensers available to restaurant customers maybe hardly worth noticing, such dispensers are gaining renewed attention as a way to save paper, cut costs, increase profits and increase customer satisfaction.
Because bulk napkin dispensers are typically spring-loaded, tightly squeezing napkins closely together, restaurant customers frequently take ore than they need. Indeed, most diners seem to hoard napkins, tempting individuals to take between four and six napkins each at quick-serve restaurants. Because such dispensers are tightly squeezed together, the customer finds it rather difficult to determine just how many napkins he/she is taking. Consequently, many more than necessary are taken, leaving a vast majority to be thrown out.
For restaurants, such excessive napkin usage maybe easily overlooked at first glance. However, restaurants who carefully review their expense reports will notice that such small costs can accumulate over time. Indeed, depending on the restaurant, paper waste may run into hundreds if not thousands of dollars a year (Kimberly-Clark found that the average restaurant may waste more than a 100,000 napkins a year).
To save on paper, some eateries have even attempted to place ‘public awareness' signs next to the napkin dispenser. Others may seek to limit the number of bulk napkin dispensers.
One way restaurants have started to save money is by using unbleached napkins produced from recycled paper (now commonplace at McDonalds and other fast food outlets). Even putting napkin dispensers on the table instead of the service counter has been shown to reduce napkin use (customers use napkins as they need them instead of hoarding them).
Perhaps more importantly, individual napkin dispensers (that re-supply napkins in a manner similar to Kleenex) are becoming an increasingly popular alternative. Unlike traditional bulk napkin dispensers, individual napkin dispensers allow restaurant employees to quickly view how many napkins are left in a dispenser. Consequently, employees are not seeking to rapidly refill an empty bulk napkin dispenser that has caught them off guard. Though customers maybe indifferent to how napkins are dispensed, such dispensers save on paper and refill time.
However, for those wanting to retain bulk napkin dispensers, a few eateries have begun using them for advertising third-party products on the napkins and/or the dispensers. This idea recently caught on with Tide detergent, perhaps believing that napkin users will associate their logo with cleaning.
Ubiquitous in restaurants throughout the world, the bulk napkin dispenser maybe considered an overlooked export of modern Americana. However, in the face of environmental consciousness and cost-cutting, such dispensers will someday come to symbolize a bygone era as well.