Why do some restaurants in India (like KFC) claim to be takeaway-only even though the dining area is open with empty tables?

If you push back and ask why there's a whole room full of tables and chairs if it's takeaway-only, staff often backtrack and just tell you to sit down — seating is actually available, they just default to refusing first.

A trick that works: if told it's closed or takeaway-only, step outside and start visibly taking photos as if for a bad review — staff will usually rush out and ask if you want to eat in or take away after all.

Other travelers report the same pattern at various restaurants: you walk in 30-40 minutes after the official opening time and staff still claim it's closed — this seems to be a common practice, not an isolated incident.

The likely reason is staff simply not wanting to bus and serve tables, especially in the evening before closing out the register — it's not specifically targeted at foreigners, since in season Siolim gets more foreign customers than locals anyway.