WhatsApp Templates · Restaurants
WhatsApp message templates for restaurants and cloud kitchens
A restaurant running orders on WhatsApp needs three utility templates — order received, order out for delivery, and reservation confirmation — plus one marketing template for a repeat-order nudge. The order templates are utility because the customer placed the order; the nudge is marketing and needs opt-in.
WhatsApp orders fail for one reason more than any other: silence. The customer does not know whether the restaurant saw the order. A confirmation within seconds of the order ending the doubt, and a dispatch message replaces the phone call the kitchen would otherwise take during service.
Order received
UtilitySend it when: The moment an order is written down, online or in store.
Hi {{1}}, we have your order from {{2}}: {{3}}. Total {{4}}. We will message you again when it leaves the kitchen.Order out for delivery
UtilitySend it when: When the order leaves the kitchen.
{{1}}, your order from {{2}} is on the way with {{3}} and should reach {{4}} in about {{5}} minutes. Reply here if anything changes.Reservation confirmation
UtilitySend it when: After a table is booked.
Hi {{1}}, your table for {{2}} at {{3}} on {{4}} is confirmed. Reply CANCEL if plans change so we can release the table.Order ready for pickup
UtilitySend it when: Takeaway orders, when the food is packed.
{{1}}, your order from {{2}} is ready for pickup at {{3}}. It will be held for 20 minutes.Repeat order nudge
MarketingSend it when: A customer who ordered before has not ordered in 30 days.
Hi {{1}}, it has been a while since your last order at {{2}}. This week the {{3}} you ordered is back on the menu. Reply MENU to see the full list.Feedback request
UtilitySend it when: Within a day of a completed order.
Hi {{1}}, thank you for ordering from {{2}}. How was the {{3}}? Reply with a number from 1 to 5 and we will read every one.How the category changes what you pay
- Every template is submitted under one category, and Meta assigns the final one in review. A utility template that reads like a promotion can be reclassified as marketing, which changes both the rate and the opt-in requirement.
- Since 1 October 2026, service messages are charged per delivered message after the first 1,000 free service messages per business phone number per month. The allowance does not roll over and there are no volume tiers.
- Inbound messages are free, and a customer-initiated message opens the 24-hour customer service window. Anything you start outside that window needs an approved template.
Restaurants on WhatsApp: common questions
Templates for other industries
Send these from your own number, with a team behind it
BNex runs the official Meta WhatsApp Cloud API with a shared inbox, campaign broadcasts and a visual flow builder. Connect a number, submit these templates, and start on the free plan — no credit card.