It is high time that cafeterias and restaurants in both Malta and Gozo did their utmost to give value for money, and more urgently, to control the habit of overcharging.

Of course this does not apply to all but it is a fact that this abuse occurs. Gozo has often come in for criticism about this problem. A bad reputation tends to "stick" and harm the whole country.

Catering outlets need to understand that no one is stupid any more and that this practice of overcharging - which is a form of cheating - will only lose them business. Customers, once cheated, will never frequent those places again.

Thankfully, there are many other catering outlets - also in Gozo - that treat the customer like a king and not only charge fair prices but give value for money. Value for money lies in the quality of the products as well as in the nature of service given.

I want to mention one particular example of the latter kind, and pay my compliments to Cafè Cordina (so far as I know it has no connection to the famous name in Malta).

The Gozitan owners of this coffee shop have three outlets, one in St Francis Square, up from the bus terminus, one in the Main Square (It-Tokk) tucked in adjacent to the San Gakbu (St James) church and the other in Republic Street (opposite Arkadia). Their prices are fair. Their cheesecakes are out of this world, really full of ricotta cheese and well baked, unlike many pastizzi today that often have just a teaspoonful of ricotta and are tasteless. By the way, their coffee is very good too and so are many delicious pasti we tried.

The lady who runs the Main Square outlet is courteous and swift in attending to customers. Needless to say, I am recommending it to friends and feel that this example underlines the importance of what I wrote earlier on.

This is the difference it makes, when a coffee shop or restaurant makes it its business to give value for money. What is the point of cheating for the cents and losing the liri?