More often than not, recently, the conspiracy wants to win out. My most reliable MAGA follower wrote regarding James Comey’s seashells in the shape of 8647: “Be arrested for ordering a murder on the President of the United States. That’s exactly what he did. He ordered a hit.” Well, no, he did not.
From here: What Does 86 Restaurant mean? Discover This Vital Term with a Positive Twist!
The term “86” can be used in different contexts within a restaurant:
- Out of Stock: When an item is “eighty-sixed,” it typically means it is out of stock or has been removed from the menu.
- Expelled or Barred: The term can also refer to a person who has been expelled or barred from a restaurant or bar for inappropriate behavior.
- Removal: More generally, “86” can denote the removal of any item or person from a particular setting.
The restaurant reference is by far the most common.
Alternatively
From here:
“In 1933, newsman Walter Winchell published a column where he referenced the term in a ‘glossary of soda-fountain lingo.’
“86 may have developed because it rhymes with the word nix, which means to cancel.
“Another story relates to a bar in New York City named Chumley’s. The bar is located at 86 Bedford Street. According to legend, unruly patrons would be thrown out onto the street, where they would see the 86 over the bar door. This became known as ‘being 86’d.’
“To keep cowboys from getting too rowdy, the bartenders would slyly give them 86-proof liquor instead of the standard 100-proof.
“Another story relates to Article 86 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice… [which] deals with soldiers who have gone AWOL. Another military origin story relates to a Navy coding system that designated items for disposal. The code AT-6 was assigned to those items for disposal. It’s easy to see how this might, eventually, get transformed into 86”.
You may remember the spy comedy Get Smart (1965-1970), created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. Don Adams played Maxwell Smart, Agent 86. “Despite being a top-secret government agent, he is absurdly clumsy. Yet Smart is also resourceful, skilled in hand-to-hand combat, a proficient marksman, and incredibly lucky; all of this makes him one of CONTROL’s top agents. Brooks decided on Smart’s code number, 86, as a reference to the slang term, meaning to forcibly eject someone, such as a patron from a bar or casino.”
I’m SHOCKED!
Re 86: “Many of the Republicans who said they were enraged by the use of ’86’ had previously directed the term at their own political opponents. In a February 2024 tweet, Matt Gaetz, then a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida’s 1st congressional district, wrote that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, and Senator Mitch McConnell had been ’86’d’ from their leadership positions.”
Aesthetics
I like the above design, which I stole from a guy on Facebook. One person thought it should be all dimes and pennies. Nah. 47 should be dimes and pennies, since it represents the rank order. But because 86 is a concept, I appreciate the quirkiness of the quarters.
Someone online joked that 8675309 threatens people living in ZIP Code 75309. Fortunately, ZIP Code 75309 “is not currently assigned to a geography.” But if it were, it would be in Dallas County, TX.
I guess I’m not zeitgeisty enough – no, I don’t think it’s a word – because the anticipation over former FBI director