The Origin and Usage of the Term 86
"You're 86'd!" Who Said it First?
My favorite theory is that it originated at Chumley's, a famous 1900's New York speakeasy located at 86 Bedford St.. During Prohibition, the entrance through an interior adjoining courtyard was used for it was both discreet and private. As per New York tradition, cops were on Chumley's payroll, and when they were about to raid the joint, they would call ahead. The bartender would then give the command "86 everybody," which meant that everyone should hightail it out the Bedford St. entrance for the cops were coming in through the courtyard.
Some people say the address of the bar is pure coincidence, and the term originated in rhyming slang used by workers so that the average customer didn't know what they were taking about. 86 rhymes with nix.
Another theory is that it originated with the number codes developed by soda fountain clerks. 86 was the password indicating they were out of an item. These codes were extensive, such as a 98 from one soda popper to another meant, "the assistant manager is on the prowl so watch yourself."
Some say 86 originated at Delmonico's Restaurant in New York City. Number 86 on their menu was steak and the most popular item. It often sold out. From there 86 became shorthand for being out of an item.
Or it originated in soup kitchens and breadlines of the Great Depression. The standard cauldron would hold 85 cups of soup. Thus the 86th person was out of luck.
Another theory. Back in the Old West, most whiskey was 100 proof, yet they reserved bottles of 86 proof for the ladies. If a cowboy got too rowdy, he would get the 86 proof, be embarrassed and leave.
Or was it in reference to article 86 of the New York State liquor code which defines the circumstance in which a bar patron should be refused, hence 86'd?
Or was it because the dimensions of a grave were 6ft deep by 8ft long?Therefore the item is dead or 86'd.
There was a streetcar line that operated on 1st Avenue on the eastside of Manhattan. The line ran from 14th street to 86th. As the Northbound car came to a stop, the motorman called out "Eighty-six. End of the line. All out."
Also, British merchant shipping standard crew was 85, so the 86th would be left out.
The New York City restaurant 21 had 85 tables. Undesirables were sent to the 86th one, which, of course, didn't exist.
Soldiers described missing soldiers as 86'd. Rather than describe buddies as missing in action it was slang to describe the MIA as violating UCMJ Sub Chapter X Article 86.
There are some of the many theories. The Chumley's theory is still my favorite. I love the whole idea of speakeasies and the history of New York City bars. It is also the best story. The bar's great as well. Chumley's is still at the same location, no sign, entrance through the courtyard. It is hard to find, but worth it if you do. Just don't go and get 86'd.
Published by R. Geary
R. Geary is Irish-American, raised Catholic, resides in Maine yet her heart is in Brooklyn. She has her MFA in Creative Writing from The New School University and her BA in Theatre and Anthropology from Ski... View profile
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- The 86th item at Delmonico's was steak
- Chumley's speakeasy was on 86 Bedford St.
- Soda Clerks had an extensive number code.
33 Comments
Post a CommentIt could come from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance published in 1890. Possibly meaning go to...
G 86 - hadēs ᾅδης
1) name Hades or Pluto, the god of the lower regions
2) Orcus, the nether world, the realm of the dead
3) later use of this word: the grave, death, hell
Chumley's no longer exists.
I had heard that the term 86'd does mean that a particular menu item was out of stock and or not suitable for consumption, it was a dead menu item. The term 86'd came from the fact when we bury something that is dead, we bury it in a 8’ box, 6’ deep, 86’d !! Not sure of the source.
id like to 86 all your comments you fail bots
Having worked 8 years in the restaurat and hotel business in the 90's on the East Coast the term 86'ed was most often used to let everyone know that a particular menu item was out of stock. That is a fact. Of course you can also 86 a customer if you kick them out of the bar (for example) or to get rid of something. The difference being wether prime rib has been 86'ed (meaning we ran out) or someone is told to 86 the Prime Rib, which must means it is bad and needs to be thrown away and not served to anyone (never heard of Prime Rib going bad, but you get the point).
There was even (and still is) a button on the point of sale system (MICROS Register) that could be used to 86 an item, so once you hit it nobody else could sell the item, it would tell the server that the item in question had been 86'ed.
The United States is the only country that uses this phrase in this respect. I first heard it when I got here and could not figure out the meaning for quite a while.
stephen is both right and wrong. I work with mostly old school french chefs and they all use the term '86' to indicate that something is no longer available - "86 the creme brulee". it can also be used to if something needs to be 'tossed'.
I saw something on the History Channel regarding this. They claim that the speak easy was in Chicago. It happened to be a hotel of some sort. There was a secret exit through one of the doors. The door number was 86. So when they heard that the cops were on the way, they would say "86 the booze" or 86 the Customers". So they would go out of Door #86, which took them to the back alley. Not sure which story is correct. But this is what I saw on the history channel.
I've worked in a number of restaurants. In all cases the term was used to get rid of something. Normally a food item but sometimes custormers. It never meant that we were out of something. It was always in the context of disposing of one thing or another, as in, "should I 86 it?".
To say it is used to say they are "out" of something is incorrect. 86 means to toss something.
Interesting article, I hadn't heard of the term 86 before reading this post.