It was a mistake, but I think they were still wrong?

[Thinkyouare]

I ate at quite a nice, independent restaurant. Service is very good, food excellent, not cheap.

I was eating early evening and the place was empty except for our table, although they had tables set up for parties later.

It was raining hard, a man came in to collect his takeaway, apologised for being early and sat at an empty table to wait.

The staff asked him to leave, they needed the table for customers, he was making it wet.

He left.

Belatedly, they realised he was a customer not a delivery driver, and the manager went into the street to apologise and bring him back in, got him a drink while he waited.

But, it was still poor, even if he had been a delivery driver? The tables didn't start to fill for at least 40 mins, and there were still spaces when I left.

It's changed how I feel about the place, the manager is one of those welcomes you like family, delighted to see you types, but obviously only some people.

It was a normal sized restaurant with one occupied table.

“WTF didn’t he say… i have come to pick up a takeaway”

tbh that still makes him sound like a delivery driver

The etiquette would be for the delivery driver to wait at the entrance though (inside if raining a lot would be fair enough) - from a business POV, seeing delivery drivers sat at tables is not exactly enticing for potential customers.
In this case it was one person but if the restaurant is like the ones around me, there are often 5-6 delivery drivers waiting and if they all took a seat inside I would definitely impact the atmosphere.

I think you’re unreasonable. If he had been a delivery driver and not a customer, there’s no reason why they should allow him to use their restaurant as a shelter from the rain and make himself comfortable without even asking them. If a delivery driver said "it’s pouring - do you mind if I shelter in here for a bit?" they might have let him.

from a business POV, seeing delivery drivers sat at tables is not exactly enticing for potential customers.

This. If I'm eating out I absolutely do not want to have to fight my way past delivery drivers to get in, or have them hanging about in the restaurant.

That's not the drivers fault though. If a 'nice' restaurant (ie one where you are paying for a nice dining environment) is offering take out then the onus is on the restaurant to sort out the logistics.

OP not sure what other posters are on about …. customer behaved normally , why would he assume or even consider and think they’d think he was a delivery driver?! Thought would never cross his mind, and he probably didn’t realise that was why he was being kicked out. I wouldn’t even know if the places I pick my food up had delivery drivers and I’d only be thinking about my situation- aka hey I’m here to pick up a takeaway.

You made perfect sense OP!

However on the premise the restaurant assumed he was a deliver driver- as both would say they are here to pick up a takeaway- then the restaurant needs better communication to avoid it happening again. As agree they wouldn’t want delivery drivers sitting down when customers are in as it’s messy and takes the ambience away.

So it probably wouldn’t put me off going back as I can see why the restaurant acted like they did but poor chap going in for a takeaway and feeling awkward as arse 🤣

They have plastic seating?