Message 11206 of 39188 in General Discussion

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> Wow! Finally my PhD. research has a purpose.
> The phrase initially appeared in American restaurant kitchens during 
> the thirties, meaning "we're out of something", and was later 
> reappropriated into bars, meaning what you described above. I think 
> the relationship between this slide is pretty self evident.
> As to the origin of the phrase, the theory goes that it is cockney 
> rhyming slang (like "apples and pears" equals stairs, or "dog and 
> bone" means phone), and was intended to rhyme with "nix" meaning, of 
> course, "nothing".
> 
> As with most good things, the phrase initially began this side of the 
> Atlantic wink.

As it often happens, the origin of cocktails and other bar related  terms, are 
very uncertain and sometimes even kind of “obscure”. As for the term 86 there 
are probably even more than “86” explanations, so besides the ones given by 
queneau69, I would like to give few among the many I have read in the past 
years.
86 first turned up in slang dictionary as restaurant code, the phrases waiters 
and cooks use to communicate when they don’t want customers to know what 
they’re saying, number codes were used in diners throughout the first half of 
the 20th century and included “95” ( the customer is leaving without paying), 
“99” (whatch out, the boss  coming), and “55” root beer”.
If “86” did begin as restaurant code, it might originally have referred to an 
especially popular dish on a numbered menu, one that the restaurant often ran 
out before the end of the day, or maybe also came to mean “don’t serve that 
person”, and was used by waiters to warn each other about a problem customer.
Another story says that a New York restaurant in the ‘20s had only 85 tables, 
and so to be seated “at table 86” meant to be barred from entry. Still another 
story mantains that zoning codes for bars in New York City at one time 
mandated a maximum capacity of 85 customers, so Mr. 86 would always go home 
thirsty.
But the one I like  the most is the one that traces to the  tavern ( and 
former speakeasy) Chumleys located at 86 Bedford street in New York City’s 
west Village. One version holds that Lee Chumley, the original proprietor , 
had special arrangement with the Chief of Police  when he operated Chumley’s 
as a speakeasy during Prohibition. Local cops, goes the legend, would be told 
“86 Chumley’s” a code for warn before any raid, and customers would be ushered 
out the back door at 86 Barrow St. as the police came in front at 86 Bedford. 
Thus 86 came to mean “get out”
I could tell about many other stories, but I’ll keep them for next time, I’m 
shure in few months time someone will come up with the same question.....
Cheers
Dom Costa