Guide
How to 86 a Menu Item: Confirm, Update and Restore Availability
3 min read
To 86 an item is to make it unavailable for the relevant service. Confirm the shortage, update the channels guests and staff use, and record when the item can return.
Confirm the item and scope
Check remaining stock with the kitchen. Confirm the affected dish, portion, location and service period. Record who owns the decision and when it takes effect.
A sold-out ingredient does not always mean every dish containing it must disappear: confirm which preparations are affected before telling guests. What 86 means in a restaurant.
Check the source and ordering channels
Check the source menu or availability record and the point-of-sale system. Confirm which channels receive updates automatically and which require a separate change. A hosted menu update does not by itself change a POS or delivery listing. Point-of-sale systems.
Update the menu and brief the team
Mark the item unavailable on the hosted menu and check the published QR menu. Update affected ordering listings and printed specials. Brief front-of-house and kitchen staff so they give the same answer.
Check the menu as a guest would, including any separate location or service-period version. Keep one short record of the changes and who checked each channel. Check the published QR menu.
Offer a verified alternative
Offer a replacement only after confirming its availability. For example: “The salmon is unavailable tonight; the roast chicken is available.” Give a next-available time only when it has been confirmed. Confirm dietary requirements against the actual replacement recipe.
Restore availability deliberately
After stock and preparation are confirmed, restore the item in each affected channel. Record the restoration time and responsible person, check the guest-facing menu and brief the team again.
For example, an internal service record might read: “18:10 — salmon unavailable; manager checked QR and ordering listings. 19:05 — kitchen confirmed prepared stock; manager restored listings and briefed service.” This is a fictional handoff example, not a customer record.
Keep your published menu current
Create an editable menu with a hosted QR link and print-ready layout. Start building.
Frequently asked questions
- Does editing a QR menu update my POS?
- Do not assume it does. Confirm the integrations and channel settings your restaurant actually uses, and check each affected listing separately.
- When should the item return?
- Restore it only after the kitchen confirms stock and preparation. Record the restoration time, check the published channels and brief the team.