In restaurant slang, “86” (eighty-six) means a dish or ingredient is out of stock, no longer available. “We’re 86 on the steak” means the steak is finished and shouldn’t be offered or taken in an order anymore.
It’s an American slang expression that entered kitchen language worldwide. Communicating 86s in real time is crucial: if the floor keeps selling a finished dish, you get impossible orders, delays and disappointed guests.
How it’s managed
Communicating 86s runs through the expediter and the pre-shift briefing, and increasingly through digital systems: a QR menu connected to the kitchen can instantly remove a sold-out dish, and a KDS flags availability in real time. Good inventory management reduces surprise 86s.
Here’s front-of-house and back-of-house communication.
Frequently asked questions
- What does 86 mean in a kitchen?
- It means a dish or ingredient is out of stock and no longer available. 'We're 86 on the sea bass' means the sea bass is finished and shouldn't be ordered anymore.
- Where does the term 86 come from?
- It's an American slang expression that entered kitchen language worldwide, used to mean something is sold out or to be removed from the offering.