2006-09-16 22:58:24 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
this may be an urban legend:
Chumley's, a famous and OLD New York speakeasy, is located at 86 Bedford St. During Prohibition, an enterance through an interior adjoing courtyard was used, as it provided privacy and discretion for customers.
As was (and is) a New York tradition, the cops were on the payroll of the bar and would give a ring to the bar that they were coming for a raid. The bartender would then give the command "86 everybody!", which meant that everyone should hightail it out the 86 Bedford enterance because the cops were coming in through the courtyard door.
2006-09-16 23:04:07 · answer #1 · answered by tampico 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
great question.. too bad no definative answers yet .. i was a bar tender & bar owner, and i "86d" plenty of people but never realy knew where it came from. i did ask the old timers way back when i first heard the term and they said it was from some old "code" but never more specific than than.. i'll be checking back to see if you get a more precise answer to this mystery... good question ! "kick'em out ..KICK 'EM OUT !"
2006-09-17 06:26:41 · answer #2 · answered by ong jon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know it's used in the restaurant business to indicate that they are out of some menu item.
Here's some possible sources.
2006-09-17 06:03:54 · answer #3 · answered by SPLATT 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that it's law enforcement code number.
2006-09-17 06:00:48 · answer #4 · answered by aerianne_fairchilde 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tampico is correct
2006-09-17 16:01:00 · answer #5 · answered by bullybrian2000 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋