The 70's and 80's – PEWEX, Baltona, development of private fast food bars.

The 70's also meant partial opening of the People's Republic of Poland to the world, including special foreign currency shops (e.g. PEWEX, or internal export enterprise) which enabled regular access to imported goods, although only for foreign currency or so the called " "bony" /vouchers/. Another chain of shops similar to PEWEX – shops and stands of the already mentioned here before "Baltona" - originated from Gdynia in 1984. Earlier, PHZ "Baltona" dealt mainly with providing for diplomatic posts and ships and was directly subordinate to the Ministry of Foreign Trade. The famous logo of "Baltona" - a smiling sailor with a cigarette and a bag full of presents was a synonym of quality and invigorating waft from abroad.

The 70's and 80's was the time of bloom of the culinary fame of a new transatlantic liner which served for the Polish Ocean Lines /PLO/ - "Stefan Batory". Food offered on the Gdynia transatlantic liner "Stefan Batory" could have been perceived to come from another world.  It is enough to see one of the Polish cult comedies "Kochaj albo rzuć" /"Love or Leave'/ since part of it was shot at "Stefan Batory", or to have a look at the menu of captain's reception.

In 1973 there were 128 operating eating places, including 101 nationalized and 53 canteens and workers' canteens. Really small number of privately run places included "Cyganeria" and "Mariola". Among the most famous Gdynia restaurants of the 70's and 80's we can name "Polonia", "Róża Wiatrów" (still open) or "Myśliwska" famous for its game dishes.

Becoming open to the world brought about new trends also in the culinary eating habits of residents of Gdynia. The 80's was the time of development of fast food eating places with French bread pizza and hot-dogs. However, places which were even more popular in Gdynia were the so called Gyrros places which have now been replaced by Turkish and Arabic version of kebab. Admittedly, the first "Gyrros bar" in the Trójmiasto area was most probably opened in Sopot, but it was in Gdynia where they enjoyed greatest prosperity in the 80's.
The 80's brought about intensive development of ferry connection, including those between Gdansk and Helsinki or Gdansk and Nynäshamn. Restaurants on ferries called "Pomerania", "Wawel", "Rogalin" or "Silesia" were run by many cooks from the Gdynia culinary school, including chefs who were later employed by local restaurant owners.