86 (term)

Eighty-six or 86 is American English slang term originating in the hospitality industry, especially food or drinks establishments, meaning that an item is no longer available, or that a person is not welcome on the premises. Its etymology is unknown, but it seems to have been coined in the 1920s or 1930s. A 2019 article in St Louis Magazine quips that there are "about 86 theories" explaining the term's origin and lists eighteen ones. Possible origins include: Eighty-six is used in restaurants and bars, according to most American slang dictionaries. It is often used in food and drink services to indicate that an item is no longer available or that a customer should be ejected. Beyond this context, it generally means to get rid of someone or something. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the term as to "refuse to serve (a customer)", or to "get rid of" or "throw out" someone or something. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) says it may be used as a noun or verb. As a noun, "In restaurants and bars, an expression indicating that the supply of an item is exhausted, or that a customer is not to be served; also, a customer to be refused service. Also transferred."