This list is only a partial list of diner slang. The list is updated frequently as we discover new terms. Feel free to use our contact form to submit any diner lingo suggestions.

Click a letter to navigate to any spot in the alphabetical list.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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Adam & Eve on a Raft – two poached eggs on toast
Adam & Eve on a Raft and Wreck ‘em – two scrambled eggs on toast
Adam’s Ale – plain water
Ant Paste – chocolate pudding
Atlanta Special – Coca-cola
Axle Grease – butter
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B & B – bread and butter
Baby or Baby Juice – milk
Bad Breath or Breath – onion
Birdseed – breakfast cereal
Black Cow – chocolate milk
Blonde – coffee with cream
Blonde With Sand – coffee with cream and sugar
Bloodhound, Bow-wow or Bun Pup – hot dog
Bloodhounds in the Hay – hot dogs and sauerkraut
Bloodhounds on an Island – franks and beans
Blowout Patches – pancakes
BLT – a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich
Bowl of Red – a bowl of chili
Bronx Vanilla – garlic
Brown Down – wheat toast
Bucket of Cold Mud – a bowl of chocolate ice cream
Bullets – baked beans
Burn One – grill a hamburger
Burn the British – a toasted English muffin
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Cackle Fruit or Cackleberries – eggs
Cat’s Eyes – tapioca pudding
Checkerboard – waffle
China – rice pudding
CJ Boston – cream cheese and jelly
Cow Feed – salad
Cow Paste – butter
Crowd – three of anything
Cup of Mud or Cup of Joe – coffee
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Deadeye – a poached egg
Dog and Maggot – cracker and cheese
Dog Biscuit – a cracker
Dog Soup – plain water
Drag One through the Garden – put all the toppings/condiments on it
Draw One – coffee
Draw One in the Dark or Muddy – black coffee
Dry – no toppings/condiments on it
Dusty Miller – chocolate pudding sprinkled with powdered malt
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Eighty-six – cancel the order, don’t serve the customer or the diner is out of the item
Eve With a Lid – apple pie
Eve With a Moldy Lid – apple pie with cheese
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Fifty-five – root beer
First Lady – spareribs
Fish Eyes – tapioca pudding
Flop Two – two fried eggs over easy
Frog Sticks – french fries
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GAC (Jack) – a grilled cheese
Graveyard Stew – milk toast
Groundhog – hot dog
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Hail – ice
Heart Attack on a Rack – biscuits and gravy
Hemorrhage – ketchup
High and Dry – a plain sandwich without toppings or condiments
Hockey Puck – a well done hamburger
Hot Top – hot chocolate
Houseboat – a banana split
Hug One – orange juice
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In the Alley – serve the item as a side dish
In the Weeds – unable to keep up with orders
Irish Turkey – corned beef
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Jack Benny – a grilled cheese with bacon
Java or Joe – coffee
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Keep off the Grass – hold the lettuce
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Let it Walk – an order to go
Life Preserver – a doughnut
Looseners – prunes
Love Apples – tomatoes
Lumber – toothpick
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Magoo – custard pie
Maiden’s Delight – cherries
MD – Dr. Pepper
Mike and Ike – salt and pepper shakers
Million on a Platter – a plate of baked beans
Mississippi Mud – mustard
Moo Juice – milk
Murphy – a potato
Mystery in the Alley – a side of hash
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Nervous Pudding – gelatin
No Cow – hold the milk
Noah’s Boy – a slice of ham
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On a Rail – make it fast
On the Hoof – rare meat
One from the Alps – a Swiss cheese sandwich
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Paint It Red – add ketchup
Pittsburgh – something burning
Put a Rose On It – add onions
Put a Hat On It – add ice cream
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Quail – Hungarian goulash
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Rabbit Food – lettuce
Radio – tuna salad on toast
Raft – toast
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S##t on a Shingle or SOS – chipped beef with gravy on toast
Sea Dust – salt
Slab of Moo, Let ‘em Chew It – very rare steak
Sleigh Ride Special – vanilla pudding
Spot With a Twist – tea with lemon
Stack – an order of pancakes
Sweep the Kitchen – an order of hash
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The Works – put all the toppings/condiments on it
Throw It In the Mud – add chocolate syrup
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Vermont – maple syrup
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Warts – olives
Wax – American cheese
Whiskey – rye bread
Whiskey Down – rye toast
Whistleberries – baked beans
White Cow – vanilla milkshake
Wreath – cabbage
Wreck ‘em – Scramble the Eggs
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Yum Yum – sugar
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Zeppelin – sausage
Zeppelin in a Fog – sausages with mashed potatoes