The tradition of offering a black napkin dates back all the way to 1985, when Danny Meyer — Shake Shack founder and author of "Setting the Table" — opened up Union Square Café in New York City.

Today, the keepers of the black-napkin flame can sound a bit sheepish. Chef Suzanne Goin, who runs the Los Angeles restaurants Lucques, a.o.c., and Tavern, said, “We do the black-napkin thing.