WhatsApp automation for restaurants and cafes
Guests message restaurants for the menu, a table for six on Saturday, or whether the kitchen is still open. Staff are busy serving, so the answer often comes too late.
An automated first reply with the menu and booking options handles most of it, and the team picks up the rest when service allows.
Table bookings
When a guest replies BOOK, ask for the date, time and party size, and a host confirms in the inbox after checking your reservation system. Reminders on the day come from the reservation system if it supports them; we did not find scheduled reminders in Tadlo's published plans.
Takeaway and delivery orders
Small restaurants take takeaway orders on WhatsApp to avoid aggregator commissions. A host confirms the order and pickup time by hand; on Tadlo's Pro plan, a payment link can be sent in chat for prepaid orders.
Offers guests welcome
| Offer | When |
|---|---|
| Weekday lunch deal | Late morning |
| New menu or seasonal dish | At launch |
| Live music or event night | A few days before |
| Festive set menu | Two weeks before |
Send to opted-in guests only, at most a few times a month. In India, Meta charges ₹0.8631 per delivered marketing message and ₹0.115 per utility message, effective 1 October 2026.
Collecting opt-in
- A QR code on the table or bill that opens a chat with a clear offer to join.
- A checkbox on your online booking form.
- Staff asking at payment, with the answer recorded.
Private dining and events
Birthday parties, corporate lunches and private dining enquiries are worth a manager's personal reply. Route them in the inbox to the person who handles events, and send the package details as a PDF.
Allergies and dietary questions
Do not let automated replies answer allergen questions beyond pointing to your published allergen information. A staff member who can check with the kitchen should reply.
Reviews
To ask guests for reviews, send an occasional opted-in broadcast with your review link, never in exchange for a discount. We did not find triggered review requests in Tadlo's published plans.
Catering and bulk orders
Office lunches, house parties and festive bulk orders arrive on WhatsApp too. Ask for the date, headcount and budget in the first reply, then hand the chat to the person who quotes catering. A clear written quote in the chat avoids disputes on the day.
Late-night and closed-hours replies
Guests message after closing to book for tomorrow. An automated reply that says when you open, shares the menu and takes the booking details means the host can confirm first thing, instead of the guest booking elsewhere overnight.
Several outlets
Chains can use a number per outlet or a shared number with chats assigned by outlet. Either way, the menu and hours replies must match each outlet.
Measure
Track bookings and takeaway orders from WhatsApp, and opt-outs after broadcasts. If opt-outs rise, send less often.
Our pick: Tadlo AI
Tadlo AI
Our top pick
Best for: Restaurants and cafes
Tadlo AI gives your team a shared inbox from the Starter plan with automated menu and hours replies, broadcasts with cost preview and opt-out handling from the Growth plan, and payment links in chat on Pro. Meta bills you directly with no markup.
Price: Free forever plan with up to 10 messages a day. Starter ₹999, Growth ₹2,499, Pro ₹5,999 and Scale ₹11,999 a month, priced on unique contacts engaged per month. Meta's message charges are billed by Meta directly to your own account, and Tadlo adds no markup. Prices exclude GST.
Strengths
- No markup on Meta's message charges: Meta bills your own WhatsApp Business Account directly, and Tadlo only charges a flat plan
- Built for D2C: abandoned cart recovery, COD to prepaid nudges and order updates from Shopify and WooCommerce (Growth plan and above)
- Instagram comments to WhatsApp chats, which most WhatsApp-only tools cannot do
- Priced on unique people reached, not on every message, so you can follow up without counting sends
- Number health checks every 15 minutes, gradual ramp-up for new numbers and automatic opt-out handling
- Your WhatsApp Business Account is created inside your own Meta business account, so it stays yours
Limitations
- Newer than AiSensy, WATI or Interakt, with a shorter track record
- Commerce automations start on the Growth plan (₹2,499 a month)
- Tadlo AI is onboarding brands in stages, and you request access on its WhatsApp page.
Frequently asked questions
How do restaurants use WhatsApp automation?
To send menus instantly, take table booking and takeaway enquiries, and send offers to opted-in guests.
Can Tadlo AI confirm table bookings automatically?
A host confirms bookings in the inbox after checking your reservation system. We did not find reservation integrations or scheduled reminders in Tadlo's published plans.
Can restaurants take orders on WhatsApp?
Yes, with staff confirming each order. Tadlo's Pro plan adds payment links in chat.
How often should a restaurant send offers?
A few times a month at most, to guests who opted in.
Sources
- tadlo.ai: Tadlo AI WhatsApp automation. Plans, features, Meta rates and onboarding checked 16 October 2026.
- Meta WhatsApp Business Platform pricing,
developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/pricing. Rates effective 1 October 2026; page updated 30 September 2026. - Meta WhatsApp opt-in requirements,
developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/getting-opt-in. Updated 16 June 2026. - Meta WhatsApp messaging limits,
developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/messaging-limits. Updated 21 May 2026.