Tipping is customary but not mandatory in Malta. At a restaurant, check whether a service charge is already present before deciding whether to add a modest amount for good service.
Read, decide, say grazzi
A service charge ends the calculation
If the restaurant has already added service, the bill has made the choice visible. There is no need to add another percentage automatically. Extra cash should reflect exceptional service, not a fear of doing Malta incorrectly.
Ask before the card payment closes
Card terminals and restaurant systems differ. If you want to add a tip by card, ask before the transaction completes. A small cash tip keeps the gesture separate when the terminal does not support it.
Match the thank-you to the moment
Keep the fiscal receipt
Malta requires restaurants, snack bars and retailers to issue fiscal receipts. Keep yours long enough to check the items, any service line and the final card amount before deciding on a tip.
A local thank-you is enough
Grazzi means thank you in Maltese. A direct thank-you and a modest voluntary amount fit the islands better than importing a large compulsory tip from a different wage and service culture.