WhatsApp Business auto-reply messages for restaurants: 32 copy-ready templates
Updated October 19, 2026
WhatsApp Business has two free auto-replies: a greeting message and an away message. The greeting goes to anyone who messages you for the first time, or after 14 days of silence. The away message goes out when you're closed or busy. Add up to 50 quick replies for the questions you answer every night. Below are 32 UK-ready templates you can copy, plus the setup steps.
Every template uses [square brackets] for the bits you change. All of them work in the free WhatsApp Business app, apart from the four automated ordering messages at the end.
The best auto-reply includes a link where customers can order. paste the link into your greeting.
The three kinds of auto-reply (and when each one sends)
| Type | When it sends | Who gets it | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greeting message | First message from a customer, or their first after 14 days of no chat | Everyone, or contacts you choose | Free | Welcome, menu link, what to expect |
| Away message | Always, on a custom schedule, or outside your business hours | Everyone, or contacts you choose | Free | Closed for the night, bank holidays, Christmas |
| Quick replies | When you type "/" and pick one (not automatic) | Whoever you're chatting to | Free | Menu, hours, delivery area, allergens, "ready" |
| API automations (with software such as Menuthere Pro) | Triggered by a message or an order | Every customer who messages | Meta per-message fees | Ordering buttons, order updates, tracking links |
Two things catch people out:
- Your phone must be online. WhatsApp sends greeting and away messages from your device. If the phone is off or has no internet, nothing goes out.
- Meta Business Agent switches greeting messages off. Where Meta's AI agent is offered and you connect it, your greeting stops. See why your greeting or away message isn't working.
How to set up auto-reply on WhatsApp Business
These paths are from WhatsApp's help centre and are the same on Android and iPhone: everything sits in the Tools tab.
Greeting message
- Open the Tools tab and tap Greeting message.
- Turn on Send greeting message.
- Tap the message, paste your template, then tap OK.
- Under Recipients, choose Everyone, Exclude my contacts, Everyone except… or Only send to….
- Tap Save.
Away message (out of office)
- In Tools, tap Away message and turn on Send away message.
- Paste your message and tap OK.
- Tap Schedule and choose Always send, Custom schedule or Outside of business hours.
- Pick recipients, then tap Save.
"Outside of business hours" only shows once you've set your business hours. It's the best "set and forget" option.
Quick replies
- In Tools, tap Quick replies, then the + button.
- Type the message and add a shortcut, such as
menu. - Tap Save. In any chat, type / and choose it.
You can store up to 50. WhatsApp also creates default replies from your profile, such as your address and hours. Full walkthroughs: greeting message, away message and quick replies.
What makes a good restaurant auto-reply
- Say who you are. "Thanks for messaging [Name] Pizza, Leeds."
- Answer the real question. Most people want to know: are you open, can I order, do you deliver to me?
- Give one link. Your ordering page or menu, not five links.
- Set expectations. "We reply within 10 minutes during opening hours" beats silence.
- Keep it short. Three or four lines. People read on a phone.
- Mention allergies. Ask customers to tell you about allergies before they order.
- Don't sell hard. A greeting is a welcome, not an advert. Ask before you add anyone to an offers list.
Formatting tip: WhatsApp turns *text* into bold and _text_ into _italics_. Use one emoji, not ten.
Greeting message templates (1–8)
1. Simple takeaway welcome
Hi, thanks for messaging [Name]! 👋 You can see our full menu and order here: [link]. We're open [5pm–11pm], [Tuesday to Sunday]. Any questions, just reply and we'll get back to you shortly.
2. Order-link first (fewer typed orders)
Hi! Want to order? The quickest way is our online menu: [link]. Pick your food, choose collection or delivery, and you'll get a confirmation straight away. Prefer to chat? Just reply here.
3. Chippy
Hiya, thanks for messaging [Name] Fish & Chips! 🐟 Today's menu and prices are here: [link]. Frying from [11:30am–2pm] and [4:30pm–9pm]. Call or message for big family orders.
4. Curry house
Welcome to [Name]! 🍛 Order collection or delivery here: [link]. Delivery within [3 miles], minimum order £[15]. Please tell us about any allergies before you order, and let us know how hot you like it!
5. Pizza shop (delivery and collection)
Hi from [Name] Pizza! 🍕 Order online for collection or delivery: [link]. Delivery to [postcodes, e.g. LS6, LS4] in about [40] minutes. Deals are on the menu. Reply if you need help.
6. Café or bakery
Morning! ☕ Thanks for getting in touch with [Name]. Our menu and opening hours are here: [link]. For celebration cakes, please give us [3] days' notice. Reply "CAKE" and we'll send you the order form.
7. Restaurant with bookings
Hello and thanks for messaging [Name]. To book a table, reply with the date, time and number of guests, or book here: [link]. For takeaway, order here: [link]. We'll confirm as soon as we can.
8. Busy owner, honest reply time
Hi, it's [Name]. Thanks for your message! We're a small team, so replies can take up to [30] minutes in service. To order now without waiting, use our menu: [link].
Want more ideas on tone? Read what your WhatsApp welcome message should say.
Away message templates (9–16)
9. Closed for the night
Thanks for your message! We're closed right now. We open again at [5pm] tomorrow. You can browse the menu here: [link], and we'll reply when we're back.
10. Outside business hours (works all week)
Hi! We're not open at the moment. Our hours are [Tue–Thu 5–10pm, Fri–Sat 5–11pm, Sun 4–9pm]. We'll reply as soon as we open. Menu: [link]
11. Closed on Mondays
Hi, we're closed on Mondays to rest the team. 😊 See you [Tuesday from 5pm]! Menu here: [link]
12. Bank holiday
Happy bank holiday! We're [closed today / open [3–9pm] today]. Normal hours return on [Tuesday]. Thanks for your patience.
13. Christmas and New Year
Merry Christmas from all at [Name]! 🎄 We're closed from [24 December] and open again on [2 January]. Thanks for your support this year. See you in the new year!
14. Pre-orders while closed (needs pre-orders on your ordering page; on Menuthere that's Lite and above)
We're closed right now, but you can still pre-order for later! Choose a time when you check out: [link]. We'll have it ready for you.
15. Busy Friday (temporary, custom schedule)
It's a busy night! 🔥 We're replying as fast as we can. To skip the wait, order straight from our menu: [link]. You'll get updates once it's accepted.
16. Closed for holiday or refurbishment
We're closed from [date] to [date] for [a staff holiday / a kitchen refit]. We'll be back on [date]. Your messages are safe and we'll reply when we return.
Set templates 12, 13, 15 and 16 with a custom schedule, then switch back to "Outside of business hours" afterwards. Put the date in your diary so you don't forget.
Quick reply templates (17–28)
| # | Shortcut | Message |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | /menu | Here's our full menu with prices: [link]. You can order straight from it. |
| 18 | /hours | We're open [Tue–Sun, 5pm–11pm]. Kitchen closes at [10:30pm]. |
| 19 | /delivery | We deliver within [3 miles] of [area/postcode]. Minimum order £[15], delivery £[2.50]. Collection is always free. |
| 20 | /allergens | Allergen information for every dish is on our menu: [link]. Please tell us about any allergy before you order and we'll talk you through it. We can't promise any dish is completely free from allergens. |
| 21 | /confirm | Thanks, [name]! Your order is confirmed: [items]. Total £[amount]. Ready for [collection/delivery] at about [time]. |
| 22 | /ready | Your order is ready to collect! 🛍️ See you at [address]. |
| 23 | /onitsway | Good news, your food is on its way! It should be with you in about [20] minutes. |
| 24 | /late | Sorry, we're running about [15] minutes behind tonight. Your order is being cooked now. Thanks for bearing with us. |
| 25 | /pay | You can pay securely by card here: [payment link]. Please never send card details in this chat. |
| 26 | /booking | Thanks! You're booked for [number] people on [day, date] at [time]. If plans change, just reply here. |
| 27 | /review | Thanks for ordering! If you enjoyed it, a quick Google review really helps a small business like ours: [review link] 🙏 |
| 28 | /stopped | No problem, we've taken you off our offers list. You'll still get messages about any order you place. |
Notes on three of these:
- Allergens (20). For food sold at a distance, the FSA says allergen information must be available before the customer buys and again when the food is delivered. A menu link where each dish shows its allergens covers "before" (on Menuthere you tag the 14 UK allergens and calories on each dish, on every plan, and customers see them when they open it). Your labels or a note in the bag cover "at delivery". Don't rely on a chat message alone.
- Payments (25). WhatsApp Pay isn't available in the UK, so send a secure payment link or take payment on your ordering page. Never ask for card numbers in a chat. Here's why.
- Reviews (27). Send it after the food arrives, not before. More in how to get more Google reviews.
Automated ordering messages (29–32, WhatsApp Business API)
The free app can't send buttons or react to orders. On the WhatsApp Business API, software sends messages for you. With Menuthere Pro, these go out automatically from your own number once you switch on the ready-made order flows. You can edit the wording; the examples below are example wording:
29. Reply to "Hi" with an Order Now button
Hi, welcome to [Name]! Tap below to see our menu and order. It takes about a minute, no app or login needed. [ Order Now ]
30. Order placed (with the bill)
Thanks, [name]! We've got your order #[1234]. Total £[24.50]. We'll message you when it's accepted.
31. Out for delivery (with live tracking)
Your order #[1234] is on its way! 🛵 Track it live here: [tracking link].
32. Completed
Enjoy your meal, [name]! Order #[1234] is complete. Order again any time: just send "Hi".
The Order Now link opens your menu in one tap with no login. It stays valid for 23 hours and is locked to the first person who opens it. Updates for "accepted" and "ready" go out too. Meta charges per message on the API. Menuthere is an official Meta Tech Provider: Meta bills your own WhatsApp account directly, and Menuthere adds no markup. See WhatsApp Business API pricing in the UK. WhatsApp API ordering is a Pro feature. More on the WhatsApp ordering system.
Is there a WhatsApp auto-reply bot for restaurants?
Yes, in three forms:
- The free app's greeting and away messages. Fixed text, no buttons. Fine for small businesses.
- Meta Business Agent, Meta's own AI, where it's offered. It answers questions from your business information. Turning it on switches off your greeting message.
- Software on the WhatsApp Business API. It can send buttons, menus and order updates, and pass the chat to a person when needed. This is how Menuthere's "Hi" → Order Now flow works.
For most takeaways, option 1 plus an ordering link is enough to start. Move to option 3 when you're typing the same reply fifty times a night.
Mistakes to avoid
- An away message with no opening hours. The customer still doesn't know when to come back.
- A greeting with a wall of text. Keep it to three or four lines.
- Forgetting to switch off the Christmas message. Set a custom schedule with an end date.
- Promising "allergen-free". Kitchens handle many allergens. Tell people to ask instead.
- Adding everyone who says hello to an offers list. UK consent rules apply. See how to get a customer's permission.
- Not testing. Message your business from another phone after every change.
Put an order link in every auto-reply. (0% commission), or make a pre-filled WhatsApp link with the. New to the app? Start with.
FAQs
How do I set an auto reply on WhatsApp Business?
Open the Tools tab, tap Greeting message or Away message, turn it on, write your message and choose who gets it. For the away message, also pick a schedule. Tap Save.
Can I set an out-of-office message on WhatsApp Business?
Yes. That's the away message. Choose "Outside of business hours" to send it whenever you're closed, or "Custom schedule" for bank holidays and Christmas.
Why isn't my WhatsApp greeting message sending?
Check four things. Your phone must be online. The customer may have messaged you in the last 14 days. Your recipient settings may exclude them. And if Meta Business Agent is connected, greeting messages switch off.
Does the greeting message send every time a customer messages me?
No. It only sends on a customer's first message, or their first message after 14 days without a chat.
Can normal WhatsApp send auto-replies?
No. Greeting messages, away messages and quick replies are WhatsApp Business features. Switch to the free WhatsApp Business app to use them.
Are WhatsApp Business auto-replies free?
Yes, in the WhatsApp Business app. On the WhatsApp Business API, Meta charges for messages you send. From 1 October 2026, free-form replies inside the 24-hour customer-service window are free for the first 1,000 a month per number, then each one is charged.
Can a WhatsApp auto-reply include buttons?
Not in the free app. Buttons and menus need the WhatsApp Business API and software such as Menuthere Pro.
How many quick replies can I save?
Up to 50 in the WhatsApp Business app.
Sources (6)
- WhatsApp Help Centre, "How to use greeting messages" (Tools tab on Android and iOS; first message or after 14 days; recipient options incl. "Exclude my contacts"; device must be online; Meta Business Agent disables greetings): https://faq.whatsapp.com/501866148528310 (accessed 11 Oct 2026)
- WhatsApp Help Centre, "How to use away messages" (Always send, Custom schedule, Outside of business hours; recipients; device online): https://faq.whatsapp.com/2565868990219715 (accessed 11 Oct 2026)
- WhatsApp Help Centre, "How to use quick replies" (maximum 50; default replies from the business profile; "/" shortcut): https://faq.whatsapp.com/1791149784551042 (accessed 11 Oct 2026)
- Meta for Developers, "Pricing for non-template messages" (service replies charged from 1 Oct 2026; first 1,000 a month per number free): https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing/non-template-messages (accessed 11 Oct 2026)
- Food Standards Agency, allergen guidance for food businesses (distance selling): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses (section 3.2: before the purchase is completed and when the food is delivered) (accessed 11 Oct 2026)
- Menuthere, WhatsApp ordering: https://menuthere.com/en/solutions/whatsapp-ordering (accessed 11 Oct 2026)