Kitchen operations glossary · Kitchen operations
What Does 86'd Mean in a Restaurant?
Also called: 86, eighty-six, 86 an item
In a restaurant, to 86 something is to declare it unavailable. The kitchen calls "86 the halibut" when the last portion sells, and every server, bartender and point-of-sale terminal has to stop selling it from that moment. The term is also used for a person who is barred from the venue.
How the call works
The call comes from whoever is expediting or running the pass, because they see the last portion leave. It goes to the whole floor at once — verbally, on the board, and in the point-of-sale system — and it is repeated at the next pre-shift so the incoming team starts with the right menu.
The failure mode is a server selling an 86'd item because they were on the patio when the call went out. That produces a table that has to be re-sold mid-meal, which is why the call is made loudly, written down, and put into the system rather than left as a shout.
The other meaning
"86'd" is also used for a guest who has been barred — refused service and asked not to return. Context makes the meaning clear: an item is 86'd off the menu, a person is 86'd from the bar. The origin of the number is disputed and none of the popular explanations is documented, so the honest answer is that nobody knows.
Frequently asked questions
When 86s are a staffing symptom
Running out early is sometimes a demand problem and sometimes a prep problem — the prep list did not get finished because the shift was short. If items are dropping off the menu on the same days each week, look at prep coverage before the ordering.