April 15 has come and gone.  Another year of paying Uncle Sam his due (or of getting yours back out of his coffers) is behind us.  This year’s tax day will always stand out to me.  Why?

First, I finally became one of those people who gripes about taxes.  For a few years leading up to this one, I have been a quiet, happy, check-cutting taxpayer.  I was a true believer in the maxim that “taxes are the price of civilization” and didn’t mind paying my federal and state taxes.  I didn’t even write anything hateful in the check memo.  Prior to that, I was a grateful refundee and had nothing about which fell upset.  This year, however, I joined the ranks of grumpy old men who sit around the breakfast table raving on and on about taxes as he eats his oatmeal (with flax seed to help the cholesterol numbers) while his wife nods politely on cue.  It was a quick transition.

Second, I noticed something that’s undoubtedly been around for awhile but that somehow managed to stay under my personal radar until now.  Tax day discounts.

American business love to find any excuse they can to offer promotional sales.  For some reason, we’ve developed a tradition of tying better-than-usual sales offers to holidays.  I’ve never understood what Memorial Day has to do with futons or why I should suddenly need carpet on President’s Day.  The notion that I should purchase a new pickup truck just because it’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day escapes me, too.  But these holidays inevitably lead some marketing wiz to invent a special sale.  Now, having run out of holidays, companies are offering special discounts on tax day.

Interestingly, the carpet outlets seem to be taking a rain check on this one.  In fact, most of the tax day specials are food-related.  Restaurants are the ones striving to make the 15th America’s top “go out and buy your supper so you can gripe about your taxes while eating something other than your flax seed-riddled oatmeal” night!

I suppose I can understand the thinking behind tax day discounts.  Those who are awaiting refunds may be no worse or better off on the 15th, but those who must pay the government probably aren’t in a buying mood.  Nothing makes you less excited about a dinner out than scooping into your cushion to pay your taxes.  A sale, then, might just help to inspire a little purchasing action in the aftermath of April 15th filings.

Plus, I’m convinced that part of it is simply a desire to come up with something to do on a recognized day.  It’s a lot like peddling new hot water heaters right before Thanksgiving or convincing people that their Arbor Day won’t be complete without upgrading their cable package.  It’s an excuse.

The fact that the idea of these discounts stems from either desperation or the twisted need to convert every major life happening into an excuse for consumer spending doesn’t mean that the deals aren’t good.  Some of them are.

Some, like the gimmicky $10.40 menu at McCormick and Schmick’s is a whale of a deal for those who might want to enjoy a little seafood.  They also doubled the tax day love by handing out a coupon for $10.40 off your next trip.  They’re good at this stuff.  That’s, in part, because they’ve been at it for seven years.  (By the way, I don’t know if the almond encrusted trout was on the bargain menu, but you really should try it.  Good stuff).  PF Chang’s took the Ginsu to the price tag, lopping every bill by 15%.

Meanwhile, those experiencing a Big Mac attack had the opportunity to double their pleasure and/or indigestion with a “buy one, get one for a penny” offer.  As tax day doesn’t fall on a Sunday, Chik-Fil-A got into the action with an offer by which you could come back and eat again free within a month.  Taco Del Mar reminded us, “Taxes suck.  Tacos don’t” by giving away a freebie to everyone who signed up for a special coupon.

Those are just a few examples.  This year, it seemed like every restaurant around was doing something on tax day.

One food-related business, Whole Foods (a fine source for multi-grain hot breakfast cereals featuring flax seed, by the way) was planning on running a deal wherein they’d allow you to purchase your groceries without paying the sales tax.  They were going to pick up the tab.  Apparently, that led to some potential legal issues and the 15th was just like any other day at the chain.  I don’t know why they couldn’t just advertise a discount equal to individual store’s sales tax rate, but I’m not an attorney specializing in the sale of organic produce and multi-grain cereal products.

So, keep your eyes open next year for more tax day discounts.  You might find a good deal if you just can’t bring yourself to cook due to taxpaying-related depression.