Integrations & APIGrowth / Pro and up

Take orders from Instagram messages and comments

Connect your Instagram Business or Creator account in Sales channel → Instagram. When a customer messages you, or comments a word like menu on your post, Menuthere replies with an Order Now button that opens your ordering page. Orders come into your dashboard like any other order, and the customer gets order updates in the same chat.

Where
Sales channel → Instagram
Plan
On Growth and Premium, and on the older Pro and Branded App plans.
Time
5 min
Updated

What it does

  • Messages. A customer's first message, a greeting such as hi or hello, or a message that mentions words like menu, order, price or delivery gets a reply with an Order Now button. The button opens your ordering page.
  • Comments. When someone comments one of your comment words on a post or reel, they get a private message: "Thanks for your comment! You can order from <your store> here:" followed by your ordering link. The default words are menu, order, price and link.
  • Order updates. An order placed after tapping Order Now gets its updates in the same Instagram chat: received (with a Track order button), accepted, ready, on the way, complete or cancelled.
  • Chat buttons. Your Instagram chat shows two shortcuts, "I'd like to order" and "Can I see the menu?", which also answer with your ordering link.
Instagram's 24-hour ruleInstagram lets a business message a customer only within 24 hours of the customer's last message. An order update that falls outside that window is not sent.

Connect your Instagram

Step 1: Open the Instagram screen

Go to Sales channel → Instagram.

Step 2: Sign in with Instagram

Press Connect Instagram and sign in with the Instagram account you want to use. It must be a Business or Creator account; you don't need a Facebook Page.

Step 3: Allow the access

Instagram asks you to allow Menuthere to read and answer your messages and comments. Allow it, and you come back to the Instagram screen, which now shows your @username and Connected.

Personal account?If you see "Switch your Instagram to a Business or Creator account, then connect again", change the account type in the Instagram app (Settings → Account type and tools) and press Connect Instagram again.

Turn replies on or off

Once connected, the Replies card has these settings. Press Save after changing them.

SettingWhat it does
Automatic repliesPauses or resumes every automatic reply on Instagram.
Reply to messagesAnswers direct messages.
Reply to commentsSends a private message to people who comment one of your comment words.
Comment wordsThe words that trigger a comment reply, separated with commas.

Update chat buttons sends your current ordering link to the chat shortcuts again, for example after you change your store link. Change account connects a different Instagram, and Disconnect stops all replies.

Change what Instagram replies

Under Automatic replies you see your Instagram flows. Every store starts with two: Order Now card (the reply to messages) and Order updates. You can edit them or switch them off, but not delete them. Press New flow to add your own replies, for example to answer a question about your opening hours.

Flows are edited in the same editor as your WhatsApp flows. Instagram flows can send text, images, video, audio, buttons and an Order Now button, wait for a reply and branch, but not WhatsApp templates, catalogues, forms or delays. Your Instagram flows are used on Instagram only.

Questions

Do I need a Facebook Page?
No. You connect your Instagram directly, as long as it is a Business or Creator account.
Does Menuthere take a commission on Instagram orders?
No. Instagram orders are placed on your own ordering page, the same as any other order.
Can I connect the same Instagram to two stores?
No. An Instagram account can be connected to one Menuthere store at a time.
Why didn't a customer get an order update?
Instagram only allows replies within 24 hours of the customer's last message, and only orders placed after tapping Order Now in the chat get updates there.

Can't find it? Email help@mail.menuthere.com or chat with us, 9 AM – 9 PM.Help centerPricingmenuthere.com