A device for dispensing folded sheets of material, such as a paper napkin, provides a selected time interval between successive dispensing operations in order to limit the overall rate at which the product is dispensed. The device uses a reciprocatable vacuum head for picking a napkin from a supply stack controlled to have an uppermost article at a selected height, and for then delivering the napkin to a delivery chute. The dimensions of the device can be matched the size of the napkin so that the vacuum head travels high that even if the napkin partially unfolds, it does not contact any portion of the device that could soil it or that it could jam. The vacuum head may be driven by a swing-arm linkage coupled to a crank turned by an electric gearmotor once per delivery cycle.