# Where did "86" come from?



## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

Anyone know? Where did the term "86" come from?

Kuan


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

I'd swear I'd seen a thread on that term here before. The search won't work for this as 86 is not long enough to be a valid search though.

Dictionary.com gives this:

eight·y-six or 86 (t-sks)
tr.v. Slang eight·y-sixed, or 86·ed eight·y-six·ing, or 86·ing eight·y-six·es or 86·es 
To refuse to serve (an unwelcome customer) at a bar or restaurant.

To throw out; eject. 
To throw away; discard.

[Perhaps after Chumley's bar and restaurant at 86 Bedford Street in Greenwich Village, New York City.]


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## chef1x (Dec 4, 2002)

Hmmm, I seem to recall this thread as well. I have heard the above explaination many times over the years. 

But I think Kuan is pulling our legs. He's probably using this as a prelude to firing someone


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

Kaun,

It's in this thread.

http://www.cheftalkcafe.com/forums/s...?threadid=4748


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## chef1x (Dec 4, 2002)

AHA!!

Thank You Cape Chef (on Kuan's behalf) Sorry to butt in, 

but while perusing that thread you mentioned Barry Wine and Katy Sparks. I knew that name sounded familiar. The first real chef I worked for was a Barry Wine disciple and formally of Quilted Giraffe. He would go on and on about it, but of course that was WAY ahead of my time and I didn't really get it. I sometimes hear references to Barry and QG, can you tell me anything more? The chef I worked for is now in some heavenly resort in Vail, CO and I plan on using him as a reference on my resume, so I'll be contacting him soon and he would get a kick out of any good stories. Thanks! Maybe a different thread?

:blush: My apologies Kuan.


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## chiffonade (Nov 29, 2001)

Doesn't it mean 8 feet long, six feet deep like when you bury a coffin?


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## chef1x (Dec 4, 2002)

That sounds like a reasonable explaination, chiff, but I've never heard that...
Where'd you get that?


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## chiffonade (Nov 29, 2001)

I may have heard it someplace but in truth, it was the first image that popped into my mind.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

I agree with Chiff. It's a southern thang. The saloons and food establishments down here used to hire gravediggers to dig the food refuse pits. They dug em 8ft X 6ft.
But ya know the yankees will try to take credit for everything.


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## chef1x (Dec 4, 2002)

I like this explaination, 
no doubt you frequented one of those saloons and/or were a grave digger.


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## cwk (Nov 24, 2000)

Let's see here.....I recall a story about a resturant that had a back door towards 
86 st. I think in chicago,getting tossed out ment getting tossed to 86th. Heck there's a lot of stories but I think Willard Espy (RIP) wrote about it in the book 
'Thou Inproper, thou Uncommon noun'.
Don't quote me on it as I haven't read in some time.
Bill


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