What does “wydawka” mean in a restaurant?

The wydawka is the place between the kitchen and the restaurant floor where cooks put the finished dishes and waiters collect them. The cook then calls Do wydania! or Wydaję!

How do I politely ask a guest whether they have chosen?

Say: Czy mogę już przyjąć zamówienie? or Czy już pan wybrał? / Czy już pani wybrała? Avoid the question “Co pan chce?” – it sounds too direct.

What does “doba hotelowa” mean?

It is the period for which a guest pays as for one night – from the check-in time to the check-out time the next day. Each hotel sets the hours.

Polish hospitality vocabulary – get by in the kitchen, dining room and hotel

Name: Pol-Langua
Telephone: +48514180841

Where to start: kitchen, dining room or hotel

If you work in the kitchen, start with the first three tables; if on the restaurant floor or in a hotel – with the phrases for guests and for reception. Allergens are worth knowing in every position. We prepared the glossary for our Polish courses for work as a supplement to the Polish course for restaurant and hotel staff. Phrases needed in every job, e.g. about your schedule and leave, are collected in our everyday Polish phrasebook for work.

The kitchen – places and equipment

You will hear the names of places and equipment in the head chef's instructions: wstaw do chłodni, postaw na wydawce, wyłącz frytownicę.

The kitchen
Polish word	Meaning and situation
szef kuchni, kucharz, pomoc kuchenna	the person who runs the kitchen; the person who cooks; the person who helps with preparation
zmywak	the place where dishes are washed; also, colloquially, the job of washing dishes
wydawka	the place from which waiters collect finished dishes
chłodnia, mroźnia	a room or cabinet for refrigeration; for freezing
magazyn	a place for dry goods and supplies
piec konwekcyjno-parowy (colloquially: konwektomat)	a large oven for baking and steaming
płyta, palnik	the place where you put pots and pans
frytownica	an appliance with hot oil for chips
patelnia, garnek, rondel	pans and pots for frying and cooking
deska do krojenia	boards often come in different colours for meat, fish and vegetables
nóż, obieraczka, tarka	for cutting; for peeling; for grating vegetables and cheese
pojemnik GN (colloquially: gastronorm, GN-ka)	a metal container of a standard size

Activities in the kitchen

The verbs in this table are the basis of recipes and instructions – in an instruction you will hear them in the imperative: pokrój, podsmaż, dopraw.

Cooking activities
Polish word	Meaning and situation
obierać, kroić, siekać	to remove the skin; to cut into pieces; to cut very finely
kroić w kostkę, w plastry, w paski	different cutting shapes
gotować, gotować na parze	in water; over water
smażyć, podsmażyć	in fat in a pan; to fry briefly
dusić	to cook slowly under a lid, with a little liquid
piec, grillować	in an oven; on a grill
blanszować	to dip briefly in boiling water, then in cold water
doprawić	to add salt, pepper or spices
porcjować	to divide into portions for guests
podgrzać, schłodzić, rozmrozić	to warm; to cool; to make a product no longer frozen
wydać danie	to put the finished plate on the pass

Messages in the kitchen

In the kitchen people speak briefly and loudly – these phrases protect against accidents and mistakes.

Messages
Phrase	What it means and what you do
Uwaga, gorące!	someone is carrying a hot pot or tray – make room
Za plecami!	someone is passing behind you – do not step back
Ostrożnie, nóż!	someone is carrying a knife
Nowe zamówienie!	a new order has come in from the restaurant floor
Wydaję! / Do wydania!	the dish is ready – the waiter can take it
Ile jeszcze?	a question about how many minutes are left until the dish is ready
Śliska podłoga!	be careful – you could slip

The restaurant floor and guest service

On the restaurant floor politeness counts: you say “pan” or “pani” to a guest and use forms such as proszę, polecam, czy mogę.

The restaurant floor
Polish word	Meaning and situation
stolik, rezerwacja	a table for guests; a table booked in advance
karta, menu	a list of dishes and drinks
danie dnia	a dish prepared specially for today
przystawka, zupa, danie główne, deser	the successive parts of a meal
napoje zimne i gorące	water, juices, coffee, tea
zamówienie, przyjąć zamówienie	what the guest has chosen; to write down the guest's choice
Smacznego!	you say it when you serve a dish
rachunek, paragon, faktura	the amount to pay; a proof of purchase; a document for a company
terminal, gotówka, reszta	a device for card payments; money in notes and coins; the money you give back
napiwek	extra money from a guest for the staff
Czy wszystko smakowało?	a polite question after a meal

Hygiene and allergens

A question about allergens is one of the most important questions a guest can ask – if you do not know the answer, say Zapytam w kuchni and check.

Hygiene and allergens
Polish word	Meaning and situation
alergen, uczulenie	an ingredient that may harm someone; the body's reaction to that ingredient
gluten	a protein in wheat, rye and barley; danie bezglutenowe
laktoza, mleko	the sugar in milk; danie bez laktozy
orzechy, orzeszki ziemne	common allergens, also in sauces and desserts
jaja, ryby, skorupiaki	other common allergens
seler, gorczyca, sezam	allergens that are easy to forget – they appear in soups and sauces
danie wegetariańskie, wegańskie	without meat and fish; without any animal products
data przydatności	the day until which the product can be eaten
termometr, temperatura	you check that the food is hot or cold enough
HACCP	a system of food safety rules in a venue
czepek, rękawiczki jednorazowe, fartuch	clothing and protection when working with food
dezynfekcja, myć ręce	removing bacteria from surfaces; washing hands before work and after a break

Reception and room cleaning (housekeeping)

In a hotel the most important things are dates, times and room numbers – practise them until you can say them without thinking.

The hotel
Polish word	Meaning and situation
recepcja, recepcjonista	the place by the entrance where guests are served; the person who works there
zameldowanie, wymeldowanie	a guest's arrival at the hotel; departure and handing back the room
doba hotelowa	the time from check-in to check-out (one night)
pokój jednoosobowy, dwuosobowy	a room for one person; for two people
łóżko małżeńskie, dwa osobne łóżka, dostawka	one large bed; two single beds; an extra bed
karta do pokoju, klucz	the card or key with which a guest opens the room
śniadanie w cenie	breakfast is included in the price of the room
pokojowa	the person who cleans the rooms
pościel, ręczniki	bed linen: duvet covers and sheets; bathroom towels
pokój do sprzątania, pokój gotowy	a room after the guest has left; a clean room ready for a new guest
Nie przeszkadzać	a sign on the door – you do not enter the room
usterka	something in the room does not work, e.g. the light or the shower

Dialogues from a restaurant and a hotel

This is how the glossary words sound in a conversation with a guest and in the kitchen. Read the dialogues aloud and change the dishes, hours or room numbers.

Zamówienie i alergen (an order and an allergen)

– Dzień dobry, czy mogę już przyjąć zamówienie?
– Tak. Czy w tej zupie są orzechy? Mam uczulenie.
– W zupie nie ma orzechów, ale jest seler. Zapytam jeszcze w kuchni, żeby mieć pewność.
– Dziękuję. To poproszę zupę i danie dnia.
– Dobrze. Co podać do picia?
– Wodę niegazowaną.

Zameldowanie (check-in)

– Dobry wieczór, mam rezerwację na nazwisko Kowalski.
– Dobry wieczór. Pokój dwuosobowy na dwie noce, zgadza się?
– Tak.
– Proszę, to karta do pokoju trzysta dwanaście. Śniadanie jest od siódmej do dziesiątej na parterze.
– O której jest wymeldowanie?
– Do jedenastej.

W kuchni (in the kitchen)

– Nowe zamówienie! Dwa razy schabowy, raz pierogi na szóstkę.
– Ile czekamy na schabowe?
– Dziesięć minut.
– Uwaga, gorące! Za plecami!
– Pierogi do wydania!

In the trial lesson you will role-play a conversation with a guest with your teacher, based on your menu or your hotel's offer – and you will hear straight away what is worth improving.

Restaurant and hotel vocabulary – serve guests and understand the head chef