Kitchen Slang 101: The Lingo You Only Learn in the Weeds
For when you’re new to the line… or just want to decode the chaos.
Welcome to the Show
If you’ve ever walked into a kitchen and heard:
“We’re 86ing the special, the expo’s in the weeds, and the walk-in’s a war zone,”
…then you’ve already been dropped into a different language—one that smells like fryer oil and sounds like organized panic.
The service industry has its own dictionary, built from long nights, close calls, and inside jokes that only make sense at 11:45 p.m. when the last ticket finally drops.
Here’s your cheat sheet—straight from the crew who speaks fluent chaos.
The Essentials
86 (verb) – Gone. Done. Dead. Out of it.
“86 salmon. Again.”
In the weeds – Overwhelmed. Drowning in tickets.
“She’s in the weeds and it’s only 7:15.”
On the fly – Make it now. Usually yelled.
“Need a Caesar on the fly!”
Behind! / Corner! / Hot! – Verbal seatbelt. Say it loud so no one ends up wearing soup.
The pass – That magical (and sometimes cursed) counter where food lands before getting picked up by servers.
Expo – The human traffic controller between the kitchen and floor. Often caffeinated. Always stressed.
The Mood
Hands! – You’re being drafted to run plates. Say yes, or forever be judged.
Kill it / Crush it / Slammed – The adrenaline scale. “Killing it” is good. “Slammed” is not.
All day – The total count of an item currently ordered across all tickets (not the entire day).
“Four risottos all day.”
Fire it! – Cook it now. Move.
Heard! – The universal “got it.” The heartbeat of communication.
The People
The line – Where the cooking magic and meltdowns happen.
Back of House (BOH) – Cooks, dishwashers, and everyone who sweats for your meal.
Front of House (FOH) – Servers, bartenders, hosts (the face of the chaos).
Dishie / Dish pit – The unsung hero zone. Where legends are made and sanity goes to rest.
Regulars – Blessing or curse, depending on the night.
Campers – Guests who treat the table like a timeshare.
The Extras
Shift drink – The sacred post-service ritual. Sometimes earned, sometimes required.
Clopen – When you close at night and open in the morning. A true test of soul and shoe durability.
86 life – The lifestyle of making it work even when everything’s out.
Family meal – The one time the whole crew eats together (usually fast, loud, and standing).
Double – Two shifts. One body. No mercy.
Translation Zone
What it means when someone says it vs. what they really mean:
“All good!” = I’m barely holding it together.
“We’re fine.” = We are not fine.
“I’ll be right there.” = I forgot what you asked me for.
“Can you 86 that?” = I’m begging you to make it stop.
Final Ticket
The language of service isn’t learned in a classroom; it’s shouted across the line, whispered over the bar, and burned into your brain after a few doubles.
So next time you hear “Fire table 12, hands on 14, 86 the drama”—smile. You’re officially fluent.
See you in the trenches.
— MOZO