Glossary / 86'd (Eighty-Sixed)
What is 86'd (Eighty-Sixed)?
Also known as: 86, eighty-six, 86 a menu item
In restaurants, to '86' an item means it's no longer available — usually because the kitchen has run out. When a dish is 86'd, servers must stop selling it immediately and know what to suggest instead. The term is also used for removing an item or, informally, ejecting a guest.
'86' is one of the oldest pieces of restaurant slang. On the floor it almost always means 'we're out' — the kitchen 86'd the salmon, so it comes off the offering for the rest of the shift. Communicating 86'd items fast is critical: nothing frustrates a guest more than ordering something the server then has to walk back.
86'd items are a standard part of the pre-shift briefing and often change mid-service, which is why they're a live communication challenge in every busy restaurant. A server who doesn't get the update sells a dish that isn't there.
Knowing what's 86'd is really a menu-knowledge problem: the server needs to instantly offer a comparable substitute so the sale isn't lost. Training that reflexive substitute-suggesting is part of what strong menu knowledge delivers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 86 mean in a restaurant?
It means an item is no longer available, usually because the kitchen ran out. Servers must stop selling a 86'd item immediately and suggest an alternative. It can also mean to remove an item from the menu, or, informally, to eject a guest.
Where does the term 86 come from?
The exact origin is debated — theories range from 1920s soda-fountain and diner slang to Delmonico's menu numbering. What's certain is its modern meaning: 'we're out of it' or 'get rid of it.'
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About the Author
Terry Psaltakis is a 30-year restaurant operator who has opened more than 20 concepts across multiple markets, in every role from dishwasher to Owner. He founded ShiftTrained in Chicago to solve a problem he lived for three decades: pre-shift meetings don't actually train staff. Terry writes about the operational side of restaurant training, AI in hospitality, and what works on the floor.
LinkedIn · terry@shifttrained.com
Last reviewed June 2026
“Since we started using ShiftTrained, wine sales for both bottle and by-the-glass are up 34%. The staff is not scared to talk about the wine anymore.”
George G. · Black Barrel · Chicago
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