In the restuarant business, when you run out of something, why is it 86'ed?

Question

In every restuarant I've worked in, when we've run out of something it's 86'ed, why is it 86 not 99'ed or some other number?

Answer 1

I found this in the Slang Dictionary:

To remove, end usage, or take something out or away. Despite ALL other posts suggestion the origion of this phrase there is only one true answer:

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.

Answer 2

Well, I work in an Italian resturant, and all of our reasons for 86 have to do with old Italian mob ties. The first one is that mobsters used to throw people off Pier 86, so when people would ask where they went, it was said that they were 86ed. One other reason i've heard is that there was a train in Italy that had 86 stops, and stop 86 was the end of the line, everyone had to get off the train.

I think it's funny that there are so many different answers!

Answer 3

Back in the day when I was a waiter. The Kitchen announced in the shift meeting 86 lobster. Being classic me I went to my first table that night and told them if you thinking of ordering the lobster you better put in you order soon the kitchen only has 86 lobsters this evening. Naturally the whole table ordered this "popular" item.

Well now you know why im not a waiter anymore....

Answer 4

Some restaurant had this item and they had more than 86 things to order and they would always run out of # 86 cuz it was so good...

Answer 5

I was always told that long long ago there was a famous restaurant with 85 numbered items on the menu. So if the restaurant ran out of something they'd call it number 86 which for them didn't exist.

Answer 6

To 86 something is to throw it in the trash.

Answer 7

This link has some of the more popular "theories" about how the term came into being.....

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/180827/the_origin_and_usage_of_the_term_86.html

Answer 8

Good question! I always assumed it was just random termnology... probably?