How do I take restaurant orders on WhatsApp?
By the Menuthere editorial team · Updated
The simplest way is the free WhatsApp Business app: set up a catalog of your dishes and share your number so customers message you to order. For orders that are already added up, use a free Menuthere WhatsApp order page — customers pick items on a page and the order lands in your WhatsApp chat, totalled, with their name and address. Both keep 0% commission.
- The WhatsApp Business app is free and lets you build a catalog: each item needs a title, a photo and country of origin; a price is optional and only available in some countries.
- A click-to-chat link (wa.me) opens a chat with your number from your website, Google or a QR code.
- A free Menuthere order page lists your items; the customer picks, adds their name and address, and the order opens in WhatsApp already totalled.
- On Menuthere's Pro plan you get WhatsApp on your own number with an Order Now button and automatic order updates.
- You take payment outside the chat — cash on pickup, a payment link, or UPI in India.
Turn WhatsApp into a real order channel
Menuthere's free WhatsApp order page lets customers pick their items and send you a complete, totalled order with their details, straight into your chat. No customer login, no commission, and it can grow into a full ordering store later.
How do I set up WhatsApp ordering with the free Business app?
- 1
Install WhatsApp Business
Download the free WhatsApp Business app and set up your profile with your name, hours and address.
- 2
Build your catalog
Add each dish with a title and a photo. A country of origin is required; a price is optional and only shows in some countries.
- 3
Share your number
Put a click-to-chat link (wa.me) and a QR code on your tables, receipts, Google listing and social bios.
- 4
Take the order in chat
The customer messages you, picks items from the catalog, and you confirm. Collect payment by link, cash or UPI.
What is the difference with a Menuthere order page?
The Business app catalog is a chat: the customer still types out what they want. A Menuthere order page does the adding up for you. The customer taps items on a page, enters their name, pickup or delivery address and (for pre-orders) a date, and the finished order opens in WhatsApp addressed to you, already totalled. Publishing it needs only an email code.
| Business app catalog | Menuthere order page | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Order is totalled | No, typed in chat | Yes, added up automatically |
| Customer details | Asked in chat | Collected on the page |
| Pre-orders with a date | No | Yes |
| Grows into a full store | No | Yes, if you choose |
Can I automate WhatsApp orders and send updates?
Yes, on Menuthere's Pro plan. It connects the WhatsApp Business API to your own number so a customer who sends 'Hi' gets an Order Now button that opens your menu, and you can send automatic order-status updates and comeback messages. The free Business app alone does not automate ordering; it is a manual chat.
Who this is a good fit for
- Home kitchens, bakeries and small cafés that already talk to customers on WhatsApp.
- Custom or made-to-order food (cakes, catering) where a short chat settles the details.
- Owners who want to start taking orders today with no setup cost.
Who this is not for
- High-volume kitchens that need every order to land in a kitchen display without anyone reading a chat.
- Bars and anyone selling alcohol or tobacco: WhatsApp's commerce rules bar selling those through its catalog and orders.
Common follow-up questions
Is WhatsApp ordering really free?
The WhatsApp Business app and a Menuthere order page are free, with 0% commission. Automated ordering on the WhatsApp Business API (Menuthere Pro) adds Meta's per-message fee, which Meta bills to your own account.
Do customers need to install anything?
Only WhatsApp, which most people already have. There is no separate app to download and no login to create to send you an order.
Can I take payment inside WhatsApp?
Payment happens outside the order page: cash on pickup, your own payment link or bank details, or a 'Pay by UPI' button in India. Menuthere takes no cut of the order.
Read next
Sources (2)
- About catalog — WhatsApp Business, WhatsApp, read 30 September 2026
- Menuthere free WhatsApp order page, Menuthere, read 25 October 2026