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The 86: Managing Out-of-Stock Items

Series: Restaurants — Menu and Economics Level: Operational Audience: Restaurant GMs, executive chefs, floor managers

What “86” Means and Why It’s Inevitable

Section titled “What “86” Means and Why It’s Inevitable”

“86’d” — the restaurant shorthand for an item that’s temporarily unavailable. This happens to every restaurant. Inventory runs out. Suppliers deliver late. Equipment breaks. Running an item off the menu occasionally is normal operations — not a failure.

The failure is in how it happens: proactively, with alternatives ready, or after a guest has already ordered.

A real scenario that plays out in restaurants daily: A server takes a steak order, goes to the kitchen, returns 5 minutes later with “I’m so sorry — we’re out of steak.” The guest is frustrated, the mood shifts, the evening is affected. And the steak ran out an hour ago. Nobody told the floor.

Why Items Get 86’d

Section titled “Why Items Get 86’d”
CauseFrequencyPreventable?
Ingredient / product ran outVery highMostly yes — purchasing management
Supplier delivery failureMediumPartially — backup suppliers help
Equipment breakdownLowNo — only rapid response
Seasonal unavailabilityPredictableYes — seasonal menu planning
Staffing gap (complex dishes)LowYes — shift planning

Part 1: Prevention

Section titled “Part 1: Prevention”

PAR Levels: Inventory That Doesn’t Hit Zero

Section titled “PAR Levels: Inventory That Doesn’t Hit Zero”

PAR (Periodic Automatic Replenishment) is the minimum quantity of an item that should be on hand. When inventory drops to or below PAR, an order is triggered — automatically or manually.

How to calculate PAR:

PAR = Average consumption per period + Safety stock


Example: Steaks sold: 40 per week
Delivery: every 3 days. Safety stock: 1 day of supply.


PAR = (40/7 × 3) + (40/7 × 1) ≈ 17 + 6 = 23 steaks
When on-hand drops to 23 or below → order immediately.

Multiple Suppliers on Critical Items

Section titled “Multiple Suppliers on Critical Items”

Single-source for salmon, for example, is a risk. When that supplier has a problem, your salmon goes 86. Establish relationships with two or three suppliers on high-volume items: one primary (best price, preferred partner), one or two backups (emergency sourcing at need).

Sales Forecasting

Section titled “Sales Forecasting”

Keep a 4-week rolling sales log by item. If Friday consistently moves 30 steaks and you ordered 20, you built the 86 yourself. Adjust ordering based on:

  • Day of week (Friday ≠ Monday)
  • Events in the area (game day, a concert downtown)
  • Weather (rain reduces walk-in traffic; heat drives cold item sales)

Part 2: Real-Time Management

Section titled “Part 2: Real-Time Management”

Communication Is Everything

Section titled “Communication Is Everything”

The rule: The chef or sous chef communicates every 86 to the floor immediately — at pre-shift briefing and live during service as items run low.

Where to log the 86:

  • Physical board in the service area (whiteboard or chalkboard)
  • Staff chat (WhatsApp or Slack channel — fastest)
  • POS system — lock the item so it can’t be rung in; guests ordering from an app see it as unavailable

Ideal: POS lock + team chat + verbal briefing. The guest should never learn about an 86 after placing an order.

Pre-Shift Briefing: Home for the 86 List

Section titled “Pre-Shift Briefing: Home for the 86 List”

Every pre-shift meeting should include:

  • Current 86 list as of that moment
  • Items running low (“We have about 4 steaks left — start steering toward alternatives”)
  • Recommended substitutions for each 86’d item

Part 3: Communicating with the Guest

Section titled “Part 3: Communicating with the Guest”

When a guest is affected by a run-out — how it’s communicated is everything.

Wrong:

Section titled “Wrong:”

“We’re out of that.” [Pause.] [Silence.]

The guest is left wondering why, what’s available, and what to do next.

Section titled “Right:”

“Unfortunately, our ribeye went earlier tonight — it’s been one of those evenings. What I’d love to tell you about, though, is [alternative dish], which [chef’s description / how it compares]. Would you like to hear a bit more?”

Principles:

  • Apologize briefly — don’t linger on it
  • Immediately pivot to an alternative — the server should know it before approaching the table
  • Use “we ran out” rather than “we don’t have any” — it implies demand, not shortage
  • Never make the guest ask what’s available — come with a suggestion ready

Part 4: Keeping a Substitution Reference

Section titled “Part 4: Keeping a Substitution Reference”

Every item that’s a potential 86 candidate should have a pre-assigned alternative — ready before it’s needed.

Sample substitution table:

86’d ItemRecommended AlternativeSuggested Server Line
Ribeye steakFlank steak or marinated chicken”We have a fantastic flank tonight — actually my personal favorite”
SalmonBranzino or tuna”The branzino came in fresh this morning — it’s excellent”
TiramisuChocolate lava cake”The lava cake is served warm with vanilla ice cream — it’s worth it”

Part 5: Post-Incident Analysis

Section titled “Part 5: Post-Incident Analysis”

Every 86 is a signal. Treat it as data.

Questions after an incident:

  1. Why did the product run out? Underestimated demand or late ordering?
  2. Did we have enough warning before hitting zero?
  3. Did the floor know before guests were affected?
  4. Did guests accept the alternative — and was one offered every time?

Monthly tracking:

  • Number of 86s by item (trend toward zero = operational improvement)
  • Time from 86 to floor notification (target: under 5 minutes)
  • Alternative acceptance rate (measures server execution)

Sources

Section titled “Sources”