WhatsApp for restaurants and cloud kitchens

The problem

Enquiries peak at the moment your team has the least time. During dinner service, nobody is checking whether someone wants a table for eight on Saturday, or whether the paneer is available in a Jain version. By the time someone looks at the phone, that customer has often made other plans.

Delivery apps bring orders, but they also keep the customer relationship. If you cannot reach your regulars directly, you pay to win them back every time. A WhatsApp list of people who chose to hear from you is something you own.

A concrete flow: party and table enquiries

1. Guest writes in. From Google, Instagram or a table QR code.
2. Menu and basics. The AI or a menu of quick-reply buttons covers timings, location, parking, veg and Jain options, and shares your menu.
3. Enquiry details. A form collects the date, time, number of guests and occasion.
4. Team confirms. The chat goes to your manager with those details saved, ready to confirm availability and any advance.
5. Reminder. A utility template reminds the guest on the day.
6. After the visit. Staff can ask for a Google review from within the chat while it is still open.

A concrete flow: direct orders for cloud kitchens

1. Customer scans the QR on your packaging, which opens a chat with a pre-filled message.
2. Menu appears. Interactive buttons or your catalog show today’s categories and items.
3. Order comes in. The customer sends items and address, and it appears in the shared inbox.
4. Staff confirm price, delivery time and payment, then send it to the kitchen as usual.
5. Status update. “Your order is on the way” goes out as a free reply while the chat window is open.

Put a QR on every bag, with a reason to scan it, such as your direct-order menu. You can make one with the free WhatsApp QR code generator. Check that any offer you print follows your agreement with your delivery partners.

What you set up

• Business Brain: menu highlights, prices, veg and Jain options, spice levels, timings, delivery areas, party packages and advance rules.
• Hand-over rules: allergies, complaints, refunds, large parties and custom catering always go to a person.
• Templates: booking reminder, order update and a weekly-special broadcast.
• Tags or segments: weekend diners, office lunch, party enquiries and veg customers, so that offers stay relevant.

Allergies deserve special care. Tell the AI not to promise that any dish is free of an allergen, and to pass those questions to the kitchen or manager.

Which messages cost what

Estimate a month’s bill with the cost calculator, or read the pricing guide for each category.

Ideas worth testing

• Slow-day message. A Tuesday-only offer sent to regulars on Monday evening, instead of a discount every day.
• Festival pre-orders. Open pre-orders for sweets or thalis one to two weeks early, with a form that collects quantity and pickup time.
• Office lunches. A short daily menu for a small group of offices that asked for it.
• Birthday list. Ask for a birth month on your form and invite customers back in that month.

Mistakes to avoid

• Adding every number you have. Message only people who agreed. Unwanted offers lead to blocks, and blocks can limit your number. Read about the quality rating.
• Outdated menus. Update your prices and items in the Business Brain whenever the menu changes.
• Slow hand-over. If orders arrive in chat, someone must own that inbox during service hours.

See also how the AI agent works and the plan comparison.

Frequently asked questions

How can a restaurant use WhatsApp Business?

To answer questions about the menu, timings and location, take table and party enquiries, accept direct orders through chat, and send offers to customers who have agreed to receive them.

Can customers order food on WhatsApp through Nexora?

They can browse your catalog or menu in chat and send an order, and your team confirms it in the shared inbox. Nexora does not connect to Swiggy, Zomato or kitchen display systems, so staff enter or prepare those orders in your usual way.

Can I message customers who ordered through Swiggy or Zomato?

Only if you have their number and their permission to message them. Build your own list from customers who write to you directly, order directly, or scan a QR code in your restaurant and opt in.

How often should a restaurant send WhatsApp offers?

Less often than you think. Try one useful message a week or fewer, sent to a relevant group such as weekend diners. Frequent broadcasts lead to blocks, and those can lower your number's quality rating.

Which Nexora plan suits a restaurant?

Basic works for one owner with an inbox and broadcasts. Starter adds menus, flows and a catalog for up to 3 staff. Flex adds the AI agent, useful when questions arrive during service and nobody has time to reply.