The municipal survey on the Activity of the Restoration Sector 2025 reveals that the percentage of Spanish owners has fallen to 56.2%, while foreigners now account for 43.8%. This trend is also seen among employees, where Spaniards only make up 42.6%, and those of non-EU origin reach 49.2%, becoming the majority for the first time.
The sector's high turnover, with over a thousand transfers and new licenses annually, has reduced the average age of businesses to 11.4 years. Barely 9.8% of establishments opened before the year 2000, reflecting a loss of long-standing restaurants.
Among foreign owners, Chinese nationals are most prominent (18.6% of the total), followed by Italians (4.6%), Pakistanis (2%), Argentinians (1.5%), and Indians (1.4%). 8.5% are from EU countries, while 35.2% are from the rest of the world.
The proportion of foreign owners is slightly higher in bars (45.7%) than in restaurants (42.4%). Real estate consultancy Inmo Olaya confirms this trend, indicating that in 2025, just over a third of managed transfers were to Spanish citizens, followed by Chinese (12.41%) and Pakistanis (11.62%).
Regarding employees, around 57% are foreign nationals, with 49.2% of non-EU origin, highlighting a lack of local interest in the profession, particularly after the pandemic. The average number of employees per business is 5.9.
Hospitality establishments in Barcelona are relatively new, with 77.1% opening between 2010 and 2024. 72.6% of premises have a terrace, and business association membership has slightly decreased to 23.1%.
Despite post-pandemic adjustments to opening hours, 68.1% of businesses operate daily, and only 21.6% close on Sundays. Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest days, while Tuesdays are the slowest.
