WhatsApp Templates · Restaurants & Cloud Kitchens
WhatsApp message templates for restaurants and cloud kitchens
Restaurants and cloud kitchens need about six core templates. Four are utility messages covering order confirmation, preparation status, rider handoff and order exceptions, one is a marketing template for repeat orders, and one is an authentication template for app or loyalty login.
A single delivery order touches confirmation, a kitchen status update, a rider handoff and sometimes a substitution. Phone calls do not scale past the first few hundred orders a day, and SMS cannot carry a live tracking link. WhatsApp keeps the whole thread in one place the customer already checks.
Order confirmation
UtilitySend it when: Send the moment an order is accepted, before the kitchen starts.
Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} is confirmed and the kitchen has it. Estimated delivery is {{3}}. We will message you when it is on the way.Preparation status
UtilitySend it when: Send when the kitchen starts or finishes preparing the order.
Good news, {{1}} - order {{2}} is being prepared now. We will send a rider update as soon as it leaves the kitchen.Rider handoff
UtilitySend it when: Send when the order leaves the kitchen with a delivery partner.
{{1}}, order {{2}} is on the way with {{3}}. Please keep your phone reachable for the next few minutes.Order exception
UtilitySend it when: Send when an item is unavailable, delayed or undeliverable.
Hi {{1}}, the {{2}} in your order is unavailable today. Reply with a replacement, or we will refund that item automatically.Repeat-order offer
MarketingSend it when: Send to past customers who have not ordered recently and opted in.
It has been a while, {{1}}. Enjoy 20% off your next delivery this week with code WELCOME20. Reply STOP to opt out.Login code
AuthenticationSend it when: Send when a customer signs in or verifies a number in the app.
{{1}} is your verification code for the app. Never share this code with anyone.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 & Cloud Kitchens 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.