> I'm going to a restaurant with my friend before prom (we're chaperones... kind of). It's a *really* fancy restaurant and I'm, well, intimidated. I've never been to one quite this fancy.
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> You do the silverwear thing from the outside in, right? But I was talking with my friend who said they might have silverwear *above* the plate, and extra glasses...!! And I simply can't eat all that food (how many courses does one need, really?), not to mention pronounce it.
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> So... what do I do?
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> Ga"whimpers for help"halia

Hey, don't sweat the small stuff. Use the small fork for the salad and the small knife for the butter. If you can't eat it, don't eat it. You paid for for it and it's your choice. Another thing; Always order Mexican food. It's proper to eat Mexican food with your fingers or a bit of tortilla. Don't worry about the glass. Just drink what they pour in there. If the waiter doesn't put your napkin in your lap, do it yourself and take a dime off the tip. When ordering from a 5-course menu, it's ok to skip something. Just say, "I'm going to skip the salad." You don't have to say why. Just remember that the waiter works for you and you can do stuff your way. Waiters like to hear you say that something is "excellent," but given a choice, they would rather have a bigger tip. They aren't really snobs, their boss makes them act that way. If the service or food is really great, mention it to the boss on the way out. If you can't find the boss, the cashier will do. Sometimes the guy who looks like the boss is a hired hand called the headwaiter or a French title that I won't attempt to spell.
Don't put the tip on the credit card. You never know for sure where it will wind up. Just write "cash" on the line where it says "tip" and leave cash on the table. If you are still uneasy about fancy restaurants, there is always (gag) fast food.
Howard