Restaurants have reversed bad sales and reported substantially higher turnover over the last year, according to a survey commissioned by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association.
The findings showed that turnover increased by 10 per cent, reversing the previous year’s decline of three per cent. However, growth slowed down in the first eight months of this year.
The survey, a first of its kind, done by consulting firm Deloitte, polled 31 restaurants with a global estimated annual turnover in excess of €22 million.
The survey found that 83 per cent of participants reported higher turnover last year, dropping to 57 per cent for the first eight months this year.
By this August, growth reached two per cent.
In six of the first eight months of this year, restaurants reported higher sales, with January and May returning negative growth.
Restaurants in St Julian’s were the main drivers behind this year’s growth contrary to those in the Sliema and Gżira area that generally reported negative growth.
The restaurants that benefitted most from higher sales were those where customers spent an average of between €10 and €20 per head.
High-end restaurants suffered most, reporting negative growth or a very minimal increase in turnover. Restaurant owners were split down the middle when asked about their outlook for the rest of the year with half saying they expected sales to be better than last year and the rest expecting performance to remain the same or worsen.
Two principal headaches restaurant owners had were the high water and electricity bills and unauthorised eateries.
The findings were presented yesterday at a seminar for restaurant owners and stakeholders organised by the MHRA.
During the event, the findings of a separate survey conducted by the Malta Tourism Authority on restaurant experiences by tourists and Maltese customers were also presented.
The MTA survey found that tourists and local customers had a positive overall restaurant experience but a number of concerns were raised, including pricing, the speed of service and the lack of awareness on food intolerances.
Spanish, French, German and Italian tourists also complained on the language of menus and the problem to communicate with waiters.
Pricing was an issue particularly mentioned by Maltese respondents with the MTA official pointing out that some domestic customers reported they could not afford to eat out.
During the seminar, Mario Aquilina, the father of a two-year-old child who suffers from a food allergy, was invited to speak by the MHRA about the matter.
He raised awareness about the specific needs of allergy sufferers and urged restaurant owners to be informed on how to tackle particular requests.
ksansone@timesofmalta.com