Turkmen voting for Christmas

What is the origin of the slang term "86" meaning to destroy?
I suspect isn't related to anything that might happen travelling on the London night bus route N86 back to the hell that is Harold Hill. (see, e.g. http://www.fancyapint.com/main_site/thepubs/pub2538.htm)

Really, I'd like to know...

Venichka

Well, from my own experience, the term "86" is is most often used in restaurants to describe an item that's been taken off the menu e.g. " ... of today's specials, moules marinieres has been 86-ed because we're out of mussels ... ". When I worked at Belgo, there was an "86 board" in the kitchen-pass area informing waiting staff which items had been 86ed. Indeed, the term "86" seems to have originated initially in restaurants and bars and then been more widely adopted to describe something that's out of action or, more recently, someone who's been sacked/fired.

The origins of the phrase are sketchy; a quick google will bring up all sorts of theories: it refers to the 86th (i.e. top) floor of the Empire State Building, from which suicides leapt; or British merchant ships had a standard crew of 85, so the 86th man was the one who was left behind; or a certain restaurant in New York was No. 86 on whatever street it was on, and ... blah-di-blah-di-blah.

In any case, it's a most excellent phrase; I use it whenever I can.

I've had this exact discussion with many folks in the past. Since it is US slang, I should know more about it, but sadly, no. As for the origins, I believe the story about the restaurant in New York is the correct one. The OED suggests that it is a rhyming wordplay on the word "nix". But what the hell do those prescriptivists know?