Whatever you do, don't splurge on an expensive meal on New Year's Eve. This is the worst night of the year to eat out. The kitchen is slammed, the servers are stressed, and the lobby is packed with diners primed and pumped for their big night out. Everybody feels the pressure, and cuisine usually takes a back seat to ego and attitude.
Instead, have some friends over for a simple meal, visit a local tavern, or spend the evening slurping champagne with raw oysters. Or go to one of those ridiculous galas if you must, but do it for the scene, not the food.
If you plan to dine at a neighborhood place where you're already a regular, this advice may not apply. But this is not the night to try that hip new restaurant that everyone's been talking about.
Don't eat out on Valentine's Day, either, for similar reasons. With all those expectations, the best a guy is likely to do is break even anyhow, so keep it simple and stay in. Cooking at home can be just as romantic.
And finally, don't ever buy an expensive meal when you're in a hurry. Cuisine requires attention from the diner as well as the chef. No matter how good the food is, your money will be wasted if you're rushed.
DO eat out on your birthday, or your anniversary. This is your special day -- not everyone's -- so the server may even have time to care (or at least pretend). Don't forget to tip them if they do.
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