Industries · Restaurants
WhatsApp for restaurants: orders, reservations and customer questions
Guests message restaurants on WhatsApp to book a table, order for pickup, ask about the menu or check opening hours. In a busy service, one phone at the counter is not enough. BelloSend puts WhatsApp and Instagram messages in one shared inbox, so whoever is free can answer, and repeat questions get an instant reply.
What restaurants do on WhatsApp
Table reservations
Guests ask for a table. Staff confirm in the chat, or a WhatsApp Flow collects the date, time and number of guests in a short form.
Pickup and delivery orders
Take orders in the chat, confirm the total and the pickup time, and send a message when the order is ready.
Menu and opening hours
Send the menu as a picture or PDF and answer "are you open tonight" with a keyword reply or a chatbot flow.
Booking confirmations
Send an approved utility template to confirm a reservation, with buttons to confirm or cancel.
Instagram DMs and comments
Questions under your food photos and in your Instagram DMs land in the same inbox as WhatsApp.
Offers to regulars
Send a weekly special or a holiday menu to guests who opted in, as a WhatsApp campaign. Campaigns are included in the Max plan.
How to set up WhatsApp for your restaurant
Connect your restaurant number
Connect through Meta Embedded Signup or manual Cloud API setup. With Coexistence, where Meta allows it, you can keep the WhatsApp Business app on the same number.
Add your team
Invite the manager and front-of-house staff. They can answer in the browser or in the Android app, with push notifications.
Save quick replies
Prepare replies for opening hours, the address, parking and the menu.
Automate the busiest questions
A chatbot handles the questions you get every evening and passes orders or special requests to a person. Chatbot and AI are included in the Pro and Max plans.
Taking orders on WhatsApp
BelloSend is a messaging workspace, not an ordering or payment system. Your team takes the order in the chat and enters it in your till or kitchen system as usual. If your ordering system can send events, you can connect it through BelloSend's API and signed webhooks, for example to send a "your order is ready" message automatically. API and webhooks are included in the Max plan.
When a guest has written to you in the last 24 hours, you can reply freely. To write first, for example the next day, you need an approved template.
Plans for restaurants
| What you need | Plan that includes it |
|---|---|
| Shared inbox, contacts, tags, templates | Growth, Pro and Max |
| Chatbot and AI, Instagram comment replies, WhatsApp calling | Pro and Max |
| Campaigns to opted-in guests, API and webhooks | Max |
Good practice for restaurant messages
- Confirm every order in writing: items, total and pickup time.
- Pin a quick reply with your address and a map link for new guests.
- Ask guests at the table or on the receipt whether they want offers on WhatsApp, and record the opt-in.
- Send offers rarely and only when they are worth it, so guests do not block your number.
- Tag regulars and large-group bookers so the team recognises them.
Frequently asked questions
Can customers book a table on WhatsApp?
Yes. Staff can confirm bookings in the chat, or a WhatsApp Flow can collect the date, time and party size inside WhatsApp. BelloSend does not manage your table plan; your team records the booking where you usually do.
Can I take food orders on WhatsApp?
Yes, in the chat. BelloSend does not process payments or send orders to the kitchen by itself. You can connect your ordering system through the API and webhooks in the Max plan.
Can I send my menu on WhatsApp?
Yes. Send it as an image or a PDF, save it as a quick reply, or let a chatbot send it when a guest types "menu".
Can I send promotions to my customers?
Yes, to guests who opted in, as a WhatsApp campaign with an approved marketing template. Campaigns are included in the Max plan, and Meta charges its own fee per marketing message.
Can staff answer from their phones during service?
Yes. The Android app (Android 7 or newer) gives staff the same inbox with push notifications. iOS is coming.