86ing Menu Items
When an item runs out, 86 it immediately so guests are not disappointed and staff stop selling it.
What Does "86" Mean?
In restaurant terminology, "86" means an item is no longer available for the current service period. This could be because:
- Ingredients ran out
- Equipment failure (e.g., fryer down)
- Quality issue with a batch
- Prep was not completed in time
How to 86 an Item
From the POS
- Tap Menu in the POS
- Find the item
- Long-press the item tile
- Tap "86 This Item"
- Confirm
From Inventory
- Go to Inventory from the dashboard
- Find the item or ingredient
- Tap "Mark Unavailable"
- Select which menu items are affected
- Confirm
Using Voice
Say: "Hey Maximus, 86 the salmon"
What Happens When You 86 an Item
The system triggers a cascade of updates:
| Action | Automatic? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| POS update | Yes | Item grayed out on all terminals |
| Customer menu | Yes | Item hidden or marked "Sold Out" on online/app menus |
| KDS alert | Yes | Kitchen screens show 86 notification |
| Staff notification | Yes | All clocked-in staff receive a push alert |
| Kiosk/signage | Yes | Self-service kiosks and digital menus update |
| Drive-thru boards | Yes | Menu boards refresh if integrated |
Updates propagate within seconds across all devices.
Notifying the Team
Even though the system sends automatic alerts, communication is key during service:
- Call it out: Announce "86 [item name]" to the floor
- Kitchen confirmation: Verify the kitchen sees the alert on KDS
- Suggest alternatives: Know what to recommend to guests who wanted the item
Partial 86
Sometimes only a specific variant is out:
- 86 medium steaks but keep rare and well-done available
- 86 large size but keep regular
- 86 a specific modifier (e.g., no avocado available)
To do this:
- Open the item on POS
- Long-press and select "86 Modifier"
- Choose the specific modifier to disable
- Other options remain available
Restocking / Un-86ing
When the item becomes available again:
From POS
- Find the grayed-out item
- Long-press and tap "Restore Item"
- Item is immediately active on all menus
Using Voice
Say: "Hey Maximus, bring back the salmon"
Automatic Restock
If inventory tracking is enabled, the system can automatically restore items when:
- A delivery is received and scanned
- Inventory counts are updated
- A manager manually adjusts stock levels
86 History
View a log of all 86 actions:
- Go to Inventory > 86 Log
- See who 86'd each item, when, and when it was restored
- Useful for identifying patterns (items that frequently run out)
Voice Commands
| Say | Action |
|---|---|
| "86 the salmon" | Mark item unavailable |
| "Bring back the salmon" | Restore item |
| "What's 86'd right now?" | List unavailable items |
| "86 large fries" | Disable a specific modifier/size |