“88” of “Eighty-eight” (customer is waiting for the check)
Newspapers.com 1 April 1946, Roanoke (VA) World-News, "Observant Citizen" by W. C. Stouffer, pg. 6, col. 7: "Eighty-eight" means the guy is standing there with his dough…
“87 1/2” or “Eighty-seven and a half” (good-looking customer)
Newspapers.com 27 September 1981, The Herald Statesman (Yonkers, NY), "Counterwailing" by Dan Carlinsky, Suburdia Today, pg. 18, col. 4: 87 1/2: There's a good-looking girl in the…
“99” or “ninety-nine” (manager)
Newspapers.com 9 February 1930, Tampa (FL) Sunday Tribune, "Soda Jerkers Here Talk in Language Hard to Understand," pt. 4, pg. 6, col. 2: 99 -- Here's the manager. Newspapers.com 29…
“98” or “Ninety-eight” (assistant manager)
Newspapers.com 9 February 1930, Tampa (FL) Sunday Tribune, "Soda Jerkers Here Talk in Language Hard to Understand," pt. 4, pg. 6, col. 2: 98 -- Here comes the assistant manager.…
“91” or “Ninety-one” (seltzer)
Newspapers.com 27 September 1981, The Herald Statesman (Yonkers, NY), "Counterwailing" by Dan Carlinsky, Suburdia Today, pg. 18, col. 4: 91. Glass of seltzer.
“44” or “Forty-four” (coffee)
Newspapers.com 27 September 1981, The Herald Statesman (Yonkers, NY), "Counterwailing" by Dan Carlinsky, Suburdia Today, pg. 18, col. 4: 44. Cup of coffee.
“21” or “Twenty-one” (two of an item for the same person or table)
Newspapers.com 27 September 1981, The Herald Statesman (Yonkers, NY), "Counterwailing" by Dan Carlinsky, Suburdia Today, pg. 18, col. 4: 21. Two of an item for the same person or table.…
“14” or “Fourteen” (special order)
Newspapers.com 27 September 1981, The Herald Statesman (Yonkers, NY), "Counterwailing" by Dan Carlinsky, Suburdia Today, pg. 18, col. 4: 14. Special order. Newspapers.com 10 July 1985,…
“41” or “Forty-one” (a glass of milk)
Newspapers.com 27 September 1981, The Herald Statesman (Yonkers, NY), "Counterwailing" by Dan Carlinsky, Suburdia Today, pg. 18, col. 4: 41. Glass of milk. 42 means two glasses of milk,…
“89” or “Eighty-nine” (a movie star is in the store)
Newspapers.com 10 June 1929, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, "Pittsburghesque" by Charles F. Danver, pg. 8, col. 6: The Soda Jerkers' Code.The young bartenders in one of those big…
“95” or “Ninety-five” (a customer who walks out without paying)
Newspapers.com 29 March 1936, Helena (MT) Daily Independent, "National Youth Administration Compiles Lexicon of the Soda Jerker After Five Months Work" by Helen Dallas, pg. 2, col. 8: It…
“19” or “Nineteen” (banana split)
Newspapers.com17 September 1971, The Messenger (Madisonville, KY), "'Hash-House Greek' Colorful U.S. Slang" by Dan Carlinsky (New York Times), pg. 6, col. 3: nineteen. Banana…
“13” or “Thirteen” (the boss is around—watch out)
Newspapers.com23 May 1933, Courier-Post (Camden, NJ), "On Broadway" by Walter Winchell, pg. 10, col. 4: Code. A Hollywood soda-jerker forwards this glossary of soda-fountain lingo out…
“97” or “Ninety-seven” (vegetable soup)
Newspapers.com 10 August 1941, Atlanta (GA) Constitution, "The Code that Speeds Soda Fountain Service" by Yolande Gwin, Magazine, sec. D, pg. 5, col. 7: Vegetable soup, termed as…
“81” or “Eighty-one” (a glass of water)
Newspapers.com 20 October 1921, San Antonio (TX) Evening News, "Dr. Socrates Cicero Jones...," pg. 14, col. 4: 81, a glass of water. Newspapers.com 27 June 1926, The Morning Examiner…
Hail (ice); “Hold the hail” (hold the ice)
Newspapers.com 6 June 1922, Oklahoma City (OK) Times, "Chatter of Soda Jerkers Has a Jazz Flavor All Its Own, Experts Declare," pg. 7, col. 7: "Sky juice, sky high, heavey on the…
“51” or “Fifty-one” (hot chocolate)
Newspapers.com 10 June 1929, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, "Pittsburghesque" by Charles F. Danver, pg. 8, col. 6: The Soda Jerkers' Code.The young bartenders in one of those big…
“41” or “Forty-one” (orangeade)
Newspapers.com 10 June 1929, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, "Pittsburghesque" by Charles F. Danver, pg. 8, col. 6: The Soda Jerkers' Code.The young bartenders in one of those big…
“31” or “Thirty-one” (lemonade)
Newspapers.com 10 June 1929, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, "Pittsburghesque" by Charles F. Danver, pg. 8, col. 6: The Soda Jerkers' Code.The young bartenders in one of those big…
“21” or “Twenty-one” (limeade)
Newspapers.com 10 June 1929, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, "Pittsburghesque" by Charles F. Danver, pg. 8, col. 6: The Soda Jerkers' Code.The young bartenders in one of those big…