Two academics from the University of Malta, Prof. Vincent Marmarà and Prof. Marie Avellino, both played a role in a recent study exploring dining habits and customer satisfaction in Maltese restaurants. Commissioned by the (ACE), the research highlights how food quality remains the most important factor influencing customer experience.
The survey. which was led by Prof. Marmarà , has shed light on the differing priorities between Maltese residents and tourists when choosing where to dine.
According to the study, Maltese diners place the greatest importance on the type of food offered (34%), followed by menu prices (20.2%) and food quality (16.3%). In contrast, tourists give equal weight to price and food, followed by the restaurant’s location and quality.
The survey also revealed that the vast majority -94.2% of Maltese and 97.6% of tourists -visit restaurants for leisure rather than business. However, 58.5% of Maltese respondents feel restaurants are expensive, compared to just 14.5% of tourists. Interestingly, over half of the tourists (55.4%) believe that restaurants in Malta offer good value for money.
Prof. Marmarà ’s findings offer valuable insight into consumer expectations and could help the local hospitality industry adapt more effectively to both local and foreign clientele.
Prof. Marmarà and Prof. Avellino provided their expertise in the design and analysis of the survey, which gathered responses from over 500 participants. The findings revealed that, beyond food quality, service and atmosphere also play significant roles in shaping the overall dining experience.
