Diner lingo
Encyclopedia
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
used by cooks and chefs in diner
Diner
A diner, also spelled dinor in western Pennsylvania is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially in the Midwest, in New York City, in Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout...
s and diner-style restaurants, and by the waitresses to communicate their orders to the cooks. It is virtually unknown outside the US.
History
The origin of the lingo is unknown, but there is evidence suggesting it may have been used by waiters as early as the 1870s and 1880s. Many of the terms used are lighthearted and tongue-in-cheek and some are a bit racy or ribald, but are helpful mnemonicMnemonic
A mnemonic , or mnemonic device, is any learning technique that aids memory. To improve long term memory, mnemonic systems are used to make memorization easier. Commonly encountered mnemonics are often verbal, such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember something,...
devices for short-order cooks and staff.
A
Adam & Eve on a log: two poached eggs with link sausageSausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
Adam & Eve on a raft: two poached eggs on toast
Adam & Eve on a raft & wreck 'em: two scrambled eggs
Scrambled eggs
Scrambled eggs is a dish made from beaten whites and yolks of eggs . Beaten eggs are put into a hot pot or pan and stirred frequently, forming curds as they coagulate.-Sample preparation:...
on toast
Adam's ale: water
All day: altogether
All hot: baked potato
Angels on Horseback: oysters rolled in bacon and served on toast
Atlanta [Special]: Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
(since the company is based in Atlanta, Georgia)
Arnold Palmer: Half sweet tea, half lemonade
Axle grease: butter see also Cow paste and Skid grease
B
B & B: bread and butterB.L.T.: bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich
BLT sandwich
A BLT is a type of bacon sandwich. The standard BLT is made up of five ingredients: bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and bread. The five ingredients can be altered according to preference; for example, the bread can be toasted and the mayonnaise home-made...
Baby: glass of milk
Baled hay: shredded wheat
Shredded Wheat
Shredded wheat is a breakfast cereal made from whole wheat. As of January 2010, it was available in three sizes: bite sized , miniature , and full size, which may be broken into small pieces before milk is added .Both sizes are available in a...
cereal
Balloon juice/Belch water/Alka Seltzer: seltzer
Carbonated water
Carbonated water is water into which carbon dioxide gas under pressure has been dissolved, a process that causes the water to become effervescent....
, soda water
Battle Creek in a bowl: bowl of corn flakes
Corn flakes
Corn flakes are a popular breakfast cereal originally manufactured by Kellogg's through the treatment of maize. A patent for the product was filed on May 31, 1895, and issued on April 14, 1896.-History:...
cereal (from the hometown of the Kellogg Company
Kellogg Company
Kellogg Company , is a producer of cereal and convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles, and vegetarian foods...
, Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
)
Beef stick: bone
Biddy board: french toast
French toast
French toast or Eggy Bread, is a food made with bread and eggs. It is a Christmas time dessert in Portugal and Brazil.Where French toast is served as a sweet dish, milk, sugar, or cinnamon are also commonly added before frying, and it may be then topped with sugar, butter, fruit, syrup, or other...
Billiard: buttermilk
Bird: chicken
Birdseed: breakfast
Birds in a nest: a fried egg
Fried egg
A fried egg is a food made from an egg fried whole with minimal accompaniment. They are traditionally eaten for breakfast in western countries, but may be eaten at other times of the day.-China:...
on toast with a hole cut out of the center
Black and blue: a steak cooked quickly over very high heat so that it is seared (black) on the outside and rare (blue) on the inside
Black and white: chocolate soda with vanilla ice cream
Black cow: (a) chocolate milk or (b) chocolate soda with chocolate ice cream (or) (c) a soda made with chocolate ice cream and root beer
Blindfolded: basted egg
Bloodhounds in the hay: hot dogs and sauerkraut
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut , directly translated from German: "sour cabbage", is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid...
Bloody: very rare
Blowout patches: pancake
Pancake
A pancake is a thin, flat, round cake prepared from a batter, and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Most pancakes are quick breads; some use a yeast-raised or fermented batter. Most pancakes are cooked one side on a griddle and flipped partway through to cook the other side...
s
Blue-plate special: a dish of meat, potato, and vegetable served on a plate (usually blue) sectioned in three parts (can also refer to the daily special)
Boiled leaves: tea
Bossy in a bowl: beef stew
Stew
A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables , meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef. Poultry, sausages, and seafood are also used...
Bow-wow/Bun pup/Tube steak/Groundhog: a hot dog
Bowl of red: a bowl of chili con carne
Chili con carne
Chili con carne is a spicy stew. The name of the dish derives from the Spanish chile con carne, "chili pepper with meat". Traditional versions are made, minimally, from chili peppers, garlic, onions, and cumin, along with chopped or ground beef. Beans and tomatoes are frequently included...
(so called for its deep red color)
Break it and shake it: add egg to a drink
Breath: onion
Bridge/Bridge party: four of anything (from the card game bridge
Contract bridge
Contract bridge, usually known simply as bridge, is a trick-taking card game using a standard deck of 52 playing cards played by four players in two competing partnerships with partners sitting opposite each other around a small table...
)
Bronx vanilla/Halitosis/Italian Garlic: garlic
Bubble Dancer: dishwasher
Bucket of cold mud: a bowl of chocolate ice cream
Bullets/Whistleberries/Saturday night: baked beans (so called because of the supposed flatulence they cause)
Burn one: put a hamburger on the grill
Burn one, take it through the garden and pin a rose on it: hamburger with lettuce, tomato and onion
Burn the British: toasted English muffin
C
C-board: prepared to take-out (in cardboard)C.J. Boston: cream cheese and jelly
C.J. White: cream cheese and jelly on white bread
White bread
White bread is made from wheat flour from which the bran and the germ have been removed through a process known as milling. Milling gives white flour a longer shelf life by removing the bran which contains oil, allowing products made with it, like white bread, the ability to survive storage and...
Cackle fruit/Cackleberries: eggs
Cackleberries out west: western omelette
Campers - customers who "camp out" at a table, taking it up for an extended amount of time. This causes the servers to lose money because they cannot "turn the table."
Canned cow: evaporated milk
Evaporated milk
Evaporated milk, also known as dehydrated milk, is a shelf-stable canned milk product with about 60% of the water removed from fresh milk. It differs from sweetened condensed milk, which contains added sugar. Sweetened condensed milk requires less processing since the added sugar inhibits ...
Cats heads and easy diggins: biscuits and gravy
Biscuits and gravy
Biscuits and gravy is a popular breakfast dish in the United States, especially in the South.It consists of soft dough biscuits covered in thick "country" or "white" gravy, made from the drippings of cooked pork sausage, white flour, milk, and often bits of sausage, bacon, ground beef, or other...
Check the ice: look at the pretty girl who just came in
Checkerboard: waffle
Waffle
A waffle is a batter- or dough-based cake cooked in a waffle iron patterned to give a distinctive and characteristic shape. There are many variations based on the type and shape of the iron and the recipe used....
Chewed with fine breath: hamburger with onions
Chicago: pineapple sundae
Sundae
The sundae is an ice cream dessert. It typically consists of a scoop of ice cream topped with sauce or syrup, and in some cases other toppings including chopped nuts, sprinkles, whipped cream, or maraschino cherries.-History:...
China: rice pudding
Chopper: a table knife
Chokies: artichoke
Artichoke
-Plants:* Globe artichoke, a partially edible perennial thistle originating in southern Europe around the Mediterranean* Jerusalem artichoke, a species of sunflower with an edible tuber...
s
Clean up the kitchen: hash
Hash (food)
Hash is a dish consisting of meat, potatoes, and spices, that are mashed together into a smooth, creamy consistency, and then cooked either alone or with other ingredients such as onions....
Coffee dry: coffee with sugar only (no cream)
Coffee high and dry: coffee with no cream or sugar (a.k.a. "black")
Coffee high: coffee with cream only (no sugar)
Coffee regular: coffee with cream and sugar
Coney Island chicken/Coney Island bloodhound/Coney Island: a hot dog (so called because hot dogs were popularly associated with the stands on Coney Island)
Cops & Robbers Donuts and Coffee.
Cow feed: a salad
Cow paste: butter see also Axle grease and Skid grease
Cowboy coffee: coffee made with all chicory
Cowboy Western: a western omelette or sandwich
Cowboy with spurs: western omelette with french fries
Creep: draft beer
Cremate it: toast the bread
Crowd: three of anything (possibly from the saying "Two's company, three's a crowd")
Cup o' joe: a cup of coffee
Cup of mud: a cup of coffee
Customer Service: attractive table
Customer will take a chance: hash
D
Deadeye: poached eggPoached egg
A poached egg is an egg that has been cooked by poaching, that is, in water.-Preparation:The egg is cracked into a bowl of any size, and then gently slid into a pan of simmering water and cooked until the egg white has mostly solidified, but the yolk remains soft...
Dog and maggot: cracker and cheese
Dog biscuit: a cracker
Dog soup: water
Don't cry over it: omit the onions
Double black cow: double-thick chocolate shake
Dough well done with cow to cover: bread and butter
Drag it through the garden: a hamburger, hotdog, sandwich or similar with all condiments (vegetables) on it
Drag one through Georgia: Coca-Cola with chocolate syrup
Drag one through Wisconsin: serve with cheese (e.g. a cheeseburger
Cheeseburger
A cheeseburger is a hamburger with cheese that has been added to it. Traditionally, the cheese is placed on top of the patty, but the burger can include many variations in structure, ingredients, and composition...
)
Draw one/A cup of mud: a cup of coffee
Draw one in the dark/flowing Mississippi: a black coffee
Drop two: two poached eggs
Drown the kids: boiled eggs
Dry: a hamburger, hotdog, sandwich or similar without butter, mayonnaise or other dressing
Dry stack: pancakes without butter
Dusty miller: chocolate pudding, sprinkled with powdered malt
Dish pig: dishwasher
E
Eggs up: two eggs fried on one side, unflipped with unbroken yolks which are generally runny (i.e. sunny side up) see also Fry two, let the sun shineEgg o' Biscuit: biscuit with egg
Eighty-six (86
86 (term)
"86","86'd", "86ed", or eighty-sixed when used as a verb in American English, is a slang term for refusing service or getting rid of something. The etymology of the term is uncertain...
): remove an item from an order or from the menu (as when the kitchen is out out of an item or ingredient)
Eve with a lid on: apple pie (referring to the biblical Eve's tempting of Adam with an apple, the "lid" is the pie crust)
Eve with a moldy lid: apple pie with a slice of cheese
F
Fifty-five: a glass of root beerFirehouse it: add chili sauce
Chili sauce
Chili sauce is a condiment, similar to ketchup but with onion, garlic, and spice. Despite its name, it does not contain chili peppers and thus is not hot....
to an item
First lady: spare ribs (based on the creation of the biblical Eve from Adam
Adam
Adam is a figure in the Book of Genesis. According to the creation myth of Abrahamic religions, he is the first human. In the Genesis creation narratives, he was created by Yahweh-Elohim , and the first woman, Eve was formed from his rib...
's rib)
Fish eyes or Cat's eyes: tapioca pudding
Flop two: two fried eggs, over easy
Flop two, over easy: fried eggs, flipped over carefully, with the yolk very runny
Flop two, over medium: fried eggs, flipped over, with the yolk beginning to solidify
Flop two, over hard: fried eggs, flipped over, with the yolk solid all the way through
Fly cake/Roach cake: raisin cake or huckleberry pie
Foreign entanglements: spaghetti
Spaghetti
Spaghetti is a long, thin, cylindrical pasta of Italian origin. Spaghetti is made of semolina or flour and water. Italian dried spaghetti is made from durum wheat semolina, but outside of Italy it may be made with other kinds of flour...
Frenchman's delight: pea soup
Frog sticks: french fries
Fry two, let the sun shine: two eggs fried on one side, unflipped with unbroken yolks which are generally runny (i.e. sunny side up) see also Eggs up
G
GAC: grilled American cheese sandwich (also called "jack", from the pronunciation of "GAC")GAC Tommy: grilled American cheese sandwich (also called "jack", from the pronunciation of "GAC") with tomato
Gallery: booth
Gentleman will take a chance: Plate of hash
Georgia pie: peach pie
Give it wings: To be served quickly "Coney Island, and give it wings!"
Gravel train: sugar bowl
Graveyard stew: milk toast (buttered toast, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, and dropped into a bowl of warm milk)
Groundhog: hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
Guess water: soup
H
Hail: iceHatching it: a fried egg
Fried egg
A fried egg is a food made from an egg fried whole with minimal accompaniment. They are traditionally eaten for breakfast in western countries, but may be eaten at other times of the day.-China:...
on toast with a hole cut out of the center see also Birds in a nest
Heart attack on rack: biscuits and gravy
Hemorrhage: tomato ketchup
Hen fruit or hen nuts: eggs (sometimes boiled eggs)
High and dry: a plain sandwich without butter, mayonnaise, or lettuce
Hoboken special: pineapple soda with chocolate ice cream
Hockey puck: a hamburger, well done
Hojack: buttered toast
Hold the hail: no ice
Hold the grass: sandwich without lettuce
Honeymoon salad: lettuce alone
Hope: oatmeal
Hot balls: matzah ball soup
Hot blonde in sand: coffee with cream and sugar see also Coffee regular
Hot one: bowl of chili con carne
Chili con carne
Chili con carne is a spicy stew. The name of the dish derives from the Spanish chile con carne, "chili pepper with meat". Traditional versions are made, minimally, from chili peppers, garlic, onions, and cumin, along with chopped or ground beef. Beans and tomatoes are frequently included...
see also Bowl of red
Hot top: hot chocolate
Hounds on an island: franks
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
and beans
Houseboat/Dagwood Special: a banana split
Banana split
A banana split is an ice cream-based dessert. In its classic form it is served in a long dish called a boat. A banana is cut in half lengthwise and laid in the dish. There are many variations, but the classic banana split is made with scoops of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream served in...
Hug one/Squeeze one: a glass of orange juice
Orange juice
Orange juice is a popular beverage made from oranges. It is made by extraction from the fresh fruit, by desiccation and subsequent reconstitution of dried juice, or by concentration of the juice and the subsequent addition of water to the concentrate...
I
Ice the rice: rice pudding with ice creamIndie/Indiana Jones/Indy J.: a table that arrives just before closing time; the name stems from Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones
Colonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
grabbing his hat from under a closing door, as the customers snatch their orders from a nearly closing restaurant.
In the alley: served as a side dish
In the weeds: a waitress/cook that cannot keep up with the tables or orders
Irish turkey: corned beef and cabbage
J
Jack Benny: cheese with bacon (named after Jack BennyJack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
, the comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
) []
Jawa/Java/Joe: coffee
Jewish Round: a bagel
L
Ladybug: fountain manLet it walk/Go for a walk/On wheels/Give it shoes: an order to go, a takeaway order
Life preservers/Sinkers: doughnuts
Lighthouse: bottle of ketchup
Looseners: prunes (so called because of their supposed laxative effect)
Love apples: tomatoes
LTO: lettuce, tomato, onion
Lumber: a toothpick
M
An M.D./Doc: a Dr PepperDr Pepper
Dr Pepper is a soft drink, marketed as having a unique flavor. The drink was created in the 1880s by Charles Alderton of Waco, Texas and first served around 1885. Dr Pepper was first nationally marketed in the United States in 1904 and is now also sold in Europe, Asia, Canada, Mexico, Australia ...
Machine oil: syrup
Magoo: custard pie
Maiden's delight: cherries
Marry: consolidate food in same containers, e.g. pouring ketchup from half-filled bottles into other bottles to make full bottles
Mayo: mayonnaise
Mike and Ike/The twins: salt and pepper shakers
Million on a platter: a plate of baked beans
Mississippi mud/Yellow paint: mustard
Moo juice/Cow juice/Baby juice/Sweet Alice: milk
Mother and child reunion: chicken and egg sandwich
Mouse trap: grilled cheese sandwich.
Muddy Moo: Chocolate Milk.
Mully/Bossy in a bowl: beef stew (so called because "Bossy" was a common name for a cow)
A Murphy: a potato
Mystery in the alley: a side order of hash
N
Nervous pudding: gelatinNo cow: without milk
Noah's boy: a slice of ham (Ham was Noah's second son)
Noah's boy on bread: a ham sandwich
Noah's boy with Murphy carrying a wreath: ham and potatoes with cabbage
O
On a rail: fast (as in "Fries, on a rail!")On the fly: as soon as possible
On the hoof: any kind of meat, cooked rare
One from the Alps: a Swiss cheese sandwich
One on the city: a glass of water
P
Paint it red: put ketchup on an itemPair of drawers: two cups of coffee
Pearl Diver: dishwasher
Peel it off the wall: add a leaf of lettuce
Pigs in a blanket: sausages wrapped in pancakes
Pin a rose on it: add onion to an order
Pittsburgh: something burning, toasted or charred
Pope Benedict: an eggs benedict
Put a hat on it: add ice cream
Put out the lights and cry: an order of liver and onions
R
Rabbit food: lettuceRadio sandwich: tuna fish sandwich
Raft: toast
Run it through the garden: any sandwich, usually a hamburger, with lettuce, tomato and onion added
S
Sea dust: saltSchmeer: cream cheese, usually on a bagel
Shake one in the hay: strawberry milkshake
Shingle with a shimmy and a shake: buttered toast with jam or jelly
Shit on a shingle/S.O.S.: minced dried beef with gravy on toast (it was a reviled and loved standard fare in army messes)
Shivering hay: strawberry gelatin
Shoot from the south/Atlanta special: Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
(probably a reference to the fact that the headquarters of Coca-Cola is in Atlanta, Georgia)
Shot out of the blue bottle: Bromo-Seltzer
Bromo-Seltzer
Bromo-Seltzer , is an antacid used to relieve pain occurring together with heartburn, upset stomach, or acid indigestion. Originally produced by inventor Isaac E...
Slab of moo, let him chew it: rare round steak
Sleigh ride special: vanilla pudding
Smear: margarine
Margarine
Margarine , as a generic term, can indicate any of a wide range of butter substitutes, typically composed of vegetable oils. In many parts of the world, the market share of margarine and spreads has overtaken that of butter...
or butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
Soup jockey: waitress
Splash of red noise: a bowl of tomato soup
A spot with a twist: a cup of tea with lemon
Stack/Short stack: order of pancakes
A stack of Vermont: pancakes with maple syrup
Sun kiss/Oh jay (O.J.): orange juice
Sunny-side up: eggs fried without flipping them, so the yolk looks just like a sun on white background
Sweep the kitchen/Sweepings/Clean up the kitchen: a plate of hash
T
The works: a hamburger, hotdog, sandwich or similar with all condiments on itThrow it in the mud: add chocolate syrup
Twelve alive in a shell: a dozen raw oysters
Two cows, make them cry: Two hamburgers with onions
W
Walk a cow through the garden: hamburger with lettuce, tomato and onionWalking: to go
Walking in: a new order just arriving in the kitchen.
Warts: olives
Wax: American cheese
Well-dressed diner: codfish
Whiskey: rye bread
Whiskey down: rye toast
White cow: vanilla milkshake
Wreath: cabbage
Wreck 'em: scrambled eggs
Y
Yesterday, today, and forever: hashYum Yum/Sand: sugar
Yellow Paint: mustard