Guest messaging and calls for restaurants and cloud kitchens
Take direct orders and table bookings without the phone ringing out during service, and bring regulars back with offers they agreed to receive.
Which messaging channels should a restaurant use?
Restaurants and cloud kitchens usually do best with WhatsApp for direct orders, menus, booking confirmations and repeat-visit offers, an AI phone assistant or IVR so booking calls are answered during the dinner rush, SMS for order and booking alerts, and a missed call number on menus and packaging for quick reordering. Promotional messages need the guest's opt-in.
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Key facts: messaging and calls for restaurants and cloud kitchens
- Start with
- WhatsApp Business API (Direct orders and offers)
- Channel mix
- WhatsApp Business API, AI Voice, Missed call service, Bulk SMS, IVR, RCS messaging
- One account
- Shared contacts, delivery reports and webhooks across every channel
- Integration
- REST API and webhooks into any CRM or app that can call an API. API and webhooks
- Pricing model
- Prepaid credits quoted by volume, GST extra; WhatsApp at Meta's rate by category plus a platform fee. How pricing works
Which channels work best for restaurants and cloud kitchens?
How do the channels work together for restaurants and cloud kitchens?
- DiscoveryMissed call from the boxA customer gives a missed call to the number on last week's packaging and gets the WhatsApp menu.
- OrderingWhatsApp orderThey pick dishes, pay by UPI link and receive status updates in the same chat, with no aggregator commission.
- Saturday eveningAI booking callThe AI assistant takes a table for eight during the rush and sends a WhatsApp confirmation.
- Next monthRepeat-visit offerGuests who opted in get a weekday offer or birthday message on WhatsApp.
What does each channel do for restaurants and cloud kitchens?
- Table reservation confirmation
- Direct order status
- Bill and feedback link
- Menu catalogue ordering
- Order confirmed and dispatched
- Table reservation
- Specials carousel
- Table booking confirmation
- Reorder nudge for regulars
- Reservations versus delivery
- Outlet routing for chains
- Missed order recovery
- Large booking confirmation
- Catering order reminder
- Festive pre-order window
- Missed call for the menu
- Menu link by SMS
- Order callback at peak hours
Step-by-step guides for restaurants and cloud kitchens
Use-case guides with templates, set-up steps and metrics that fit this industry.
Questions about messaging for restaurants and cloud kitchens
Can a restaurant take orders directly on WhatsApp?
Yes. Customers browse a menu or catalogue in the chat, place the order, pay by UPI link and receive status updates, without an aggregator commission. Your team handles chats from a shared inbox, and order data can flow to your POS through the API.
How do we stop missing booking calls during the dinner rush?
Route calls to an AI phone assistant or an IVR when the floor is busy. The AI assistant takes the name, date, time and party size and sends a WhatsApp confirmation, while unusual requests such as a large party become callback requests for the manager.
Can restaurants send offers by SMS?
Yes, as promotional SMS to customers who agreed to receive them. Register promotional templates on DLT, use a numeric header and send between 10 am and 9 pm; DND numbers will not receive them. WhatsApp offers often get more replies, but SMS reaches guests who are not on WhatsApp.
How is WhatsApp marketing for a restaurant charged?
Per delivered message. Under Meta's current pricing, marketing templates are charged at Meta's rate for India plus a MsgClub platform fee, while replies to customers who message you first are free up to 1,000 per business number each month. Check Meta's rate card for current rates before planning a campaign.
Does a small cloud kitchen need all these channels?
No. Most single kitchens start with WhatsApp ordering and a missed call number on packaging, which together bring repeat orders without aggregator fees. Add SMS order alerts as volumes grow, and an AI assistant or IVR when calls start going unanswered.
Can the messages connect to our POS or reservation software?
Yes, if it can call an API or receive a webhook. Orders and bookings in your POS or reservation system trigger confirmations through MsgClub, and replies or keypresses come back by webhook. Zapier or Google Sheets work for kitchens without their own software.
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