Win-back campaign: bringing back customers who stopped ordering
Updated October 20, 2026
A win-back campaign is a message to customers who used to order from you but have gone quiet, asking them back, often with an offer. "We haven't seen you in a while: here's $5 off your next order" is a typical one. It targets lapsed regulars, not new customers, because someone who ordered several times already likes your food.
In short
- Who: customers with two or more past orders and nothing recent, such as 30 to 90 days.
- When: after a customer is clearly overdue for their usual rhythm, not on a fixed date for everyone.
- How you know it worked: compare with similar customers who got no message.
- US limit: Meta doesn't deliver WhatsApp marketing messages to US (+1) numbers, so in the US a WhatsApp win-back isn't possible; use email if you have consent.
Who to target
| Group | Rule (example) | Win-back? |
|---|---|---|
| At risk | 2+ orders, nothing for 30–90 days | Yes: reach them before they lapse |
| Lapsed | 2+ orders, nothing for over 90 days | Yes, with a stronger offer |
| One-and-done | 1 order, nothing since for 30+ days | Sometimes; first find out what went wrong |
| Regulars and VIPs | Ordering often | No: don't spend discounts on people who pay full price |
These groups come from RFM segmentation: recency, frequency and money spent.
Timing rules that work
- Use each customer's own rhythm. A twice-a-week regular is overdue after a week or two; a monthly customer after six or seven weeks.
- Stop at some point. After many months of silence, a message mostly annoys.
- Cap it. One or two win-back messages per customer, well apart.
- Send at sensible hours, ahead of a mealtime.
- Hold some back. Leave a small share of each group unmessaged; the difference in orders between the two is what your campaign caused.
A priced example (UK numbers)
A takeaway in the UK sends a WhatsApp win-back to 300 lapsed customers. A UK marketing message costs US$0.0635.
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Message cost | 300 × US$0.0635 = US$19.05 |
| Ordered again in the next 14 days (illustrative 6%) | 18 orders |
| Revenue at a US$25 average | US$450 |
| Offer cost (US$4 off each) | US$72 |
Even after the offer, the campaign returns far more than it costs, if the 18 orders really came because of it. That's why a held-back group matters. (Illustrative response rate.)
How Menuthere runs win-back: comeback messages
- Automatic, group by group (Pro). Under Comeback messages, switch on the groups to chase, such as Lapsed or At risk, pick an approved marketing message for each, and set the days quiet, or leave it empty so each customer's own rhythm decides (in practice 21 to 75 days).
- Built-in limits. Nobody is messaged after 180 days of silence. A customer gets at most 2 comeback messages ever, never within 60 days of each other. Messages go out between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. store time, with at least 7 days between batches.
- Measured honestly. A small share of each big batch is held back on purpose, so the came back figure counts orders the message really caused.
- Opt-outs respected. Customers who replied STOP or are blocked are skipped. See WhatsApp opt-in.
- Protects order updates. Comeback messages use at most about a third of your daily sending limit, and a send can be refused, with the reason shown, when your number's quality rating is low.
- Costs. Each message is a WhatsApp marketing template billed by Meta to your own account; Menuthere adds no markup.
What it doesn't do: comeback messages are WhatsApp only, so they can't reach US (+1) numbers, and Menuthere doesn't send email or SMS. Its customer export has phone numbers, not email addresses.
Bring lapsed regulars back automatically, measured against customers who got nothing.
Related terms
- RFM segmentation: how the at-risk and lapsed groups are found.
- WhatsApp marketing template: the message type a win-back uses.
- Repeat customer rate: the share of buyers who come back.
- Customer lifetime value: what a regular is worth.
FAQs
What is a win-back campaign?
A win-back campaign is a message, often with an offer, sent to customers who used to order but have stopped for a while, to bring them back. It usually targets customers with several past orders and nothing recent.
When should a restaurant send a win-back message?
When a customer is clearly overdue compared with their own ordering rhythm, for example a weekly customer who hasn't ordered in three weeks. Avoid messaging people who have been silent for many months, and cap how many win-back messages each customer gets.
Can I send WhatsApp win-back messages to US customers?
No. Meta does not deliver WhatsApp marketing messages to US (+1) numbers, and a win-back is a marketing message. In the US, WhatsApp can send order updates but not promotions; use email for offers.
How do I know if a win-back campaign worked?
Hold back a small share of the customers you would have messaged and compare how many in each group ordered again. The difference is what the campaign caused. Menuthere's comeback messages do this automatically.
Does Menuthere send win-back messages automatically?
Yes, on the Pro plan, through WhatsApp comeback messages. You choose the customer groups and the message, and Menuthere sends to customers as they pass the quiet period, within fixed limits.
Sources (4)
- Menuthere help: Comeback messages, updated 6 Oct 2026 (approved Marketing template needed; groups; days quiet or each customer's rhythm, 21–75 days in practice; nobody after 180 days; max 2 ever, 60 days apart; 11 am–8 pm store time; 7 days between batches; held-back share; STOP/blocked skipped; refusal on low quality rating or limit; about a third of the daily limit; Pro): https://menuthere.com/docs/whatsapp/comeback-messages (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Menuthere help: Customer segments, updated 6 Oct 2026 (At risk 2+ orders, nothing in 30–90 days; Lapsed 2+ orders, nothing over 90 days; One-and-done; VIPs and Regulars): https://menuthere.com/docs/customers/customer-segments (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Menuthere help: Export customers, updated 6 Oct 2026 (columns Phone, Name, Segment, Total Orders, Total Spent, Last Activity): https://menuthere.com/docs/customers/export-customers (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Meta for Developers, Marketing Messages API: Get started (marketing messages to US WhatsApp users not delivered from 1 April 2025): https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/marketing-messages/get-started (accessed 20 Oct 2026)