'86 it': Restaurant workers say the term at the center of James Comey's indictment is 'everyday lingo'
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- Federal prosecutors allege former FBI Director James Comey's Instagram use of “86” was a threat to harm President Trump, leading to a federal indictment charging him with threatening the president's life.
- In the hospitality industry, “86” is common slang meaning an item is out of stock or unavailable, with many food service workers emphasizing it is used without malice and often jokingly applied to people.
- The term “86” has uncertain origins dating back to at least the 1930s in New York City, with various theories linking it to restaurants, speakeasies, or military jargon, and it generally means to discard or refuse service.
- Some interpret “86” as a euphemism for killing, including President Trump who described it as a mob term for murder, though experts and historians say there is no documented evidence of its organized crime origins.
- Linguists and industry professionals acknowledge “86” can be perceived as final or severe in some contexts but primarily use it as a metaphor for running out or getting rid of something, not as a literal threat.
