A Bengaluru restaurant landed in trouble after a photo of a notice put up at one of its outlets went viral on social media. The notice said that food delivery workers from Swiggy and Zomato were not allowed to use the lift and must take the stairs instead. This upset many people online, who felt the restaurant was disrespecting delivery workers.

The issue began when a Reddit user posted a picture of the sign pasted near the lift at a Meghana Foods outlet. The notice read: “Note: Swiggy and Zomato delivery boys not allowed in lift. Please use stairs. Thank you.” The picture quickly spread across platforms, with many internet users calling out the restaurant for its behaviour.

People reacted strongly, saying that delivery workers help keep restaurants running and deserve respect. One user wrote, “Imagine banning the people who keep your business running. Clown behaviour.” Another said the issue was not simply about managing crowds or lift space, but about showing class bias and treating delivery workers as lesser.

As the criticism grew, Meghana Foods released a public apology on Instagram. The caption read: “We owe our delivery partners a sincere apology. We’re learning, improving, and moving ahead with more care.”

In their detailed statement, the restaurant admitted that putting up the notice was a mistake. They explained that the sign was originally meant to reduce lift congestion for customers, but they now understand that it was unfair and insensitive to delivery partners. “That was wrong. It should never have been put up,” the statement said.

Meghana Foods confirmed that the poster had been removed and the matter discussed internally. They added that delivery workers play an essential role in their business and should always be treated with respect, dignity, and care.

The apology ended with a message directly addressing delivery workers: “You are the core of the Meghana Foods experience, and we hope you can forgive us as we work to make your experience better.”

The incident sparked wider conversations online about how gig workers are treated and how subtle class discrimination shows up in everyday situations. Many people stressed that delivery workers deserve appreciation, not restrictions that make their job harder.