Three-quarters of restaurants that participated in a Deloitte survey for the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association reported increased revenue in 2022 when compared to 2021.

However, 54% have still not yet returned to pre-covid pandemic revenue levels.

Some 70 restaurants participated in the survey, 77% of which reported higher operational costs when comparing 2022 payroll costs to those of 2019.

Despite an increase in the overall operational costs, 67% of respondents are expecting a more positive 2023, with the least optimistic establishments being those based in Gozo and the southern region of Malta.

Only 17% of Gozitan respondents are anticipating a positive year.

Addressing the launch of the results, MHRA president Tony Zahra said the industry and the government needed to "work hand-in-hand" in the face of a rise in costs and recruitment issues.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.