How do I take restaurant orders on WhatsApp in the US?
By the Menuthere editorial team · Updated
You can take orders on WhatsApp in the US with the free WhatsApp Business app and a catalog, or a free Menuthere WhatsApp order page that drops a totalled order into your chat — both at 0% commission. Be realistic, though: WhatsApp adoption is lower in the US than in the Gulf or Latin America, so for many American restaurants a Menuthere order link shared by SMS, email or a QR code reaches more customers. Updated October 2026.
- The WhatsApp Business app is free and works in the US, but fewer American customers use WhatsApp than in many other countries.
- A free Menuthere order page drops a totalled order into your WhatsApp chat — or into SMS/email if the customer prefers.
- Automated WhatsApp ordering uses Meta's WhatsApp Business API (Menuthere Pro); Meta bills a per-message fee to your own account, and customers must opt in.
- For most US restaurants, a shared order link by SMS, email and QR reaches more people than WhatsApp alone.
- Every one of these channels is 0% commission with Menuthere.
One order page, every channel
Menuthere's free order page lets a customer pick items and send you a complete, totalled order — through WhatsApp, SMS, email or a QR code, whatever they use. No customer login, no commission, and it can grow into a full ordering store on your own domain later.
Does WhatsApp ordering actually work in the US?
Technically yes — the WhatsApp Business app, the catalog and the WhatsApp Business API all operate in the US. The honest caveat is reach: WhatsApp is less universal with American customers than in the Gulf, Latin America or Europe, so WhatsApp alone may miss part of your audience. Many US restaurants get more orders by sharing one order link through SMS, email, Instagram and a printed QR code, with WhatsApp as one option among them rather than the only one.
| Channel | US reach | Setup |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp order page | Strong in some communities, patchy overall | Free, instant |
| SMS / text link | Very wide — almost everyone texts | Free, instant |
| Email order link | Wide, good for regulars | Free, instant |
| Printed QR code | In-store and on packaging | Free, instant |
How do I set up WhatsApp ordering with Menuthere?
- 1
Build your menu
Menuthere builds your menu and ordering page from a photo of your menu — no typing it out.
- 2
Share one link
Share your order link by WhatsApp, SMS, email, Instagram or a printed QR code — the customer uses whichever they have.
- 3
Receive the order
The customer picks items and their order arrives totalled with their name and address, straight into your chat or inbox.
- 4
Automate on Pro
On Pro, connect the WhatsApp Business API to your own number for an Order Now button and automatic status updates; Meta bills its per-message fee to you.
What does WhatsApp ordering cost in the US?
The WhatsApp Business app and a Menuthere order page are free, at 0% commission. Automated ordering uses Meta's WhatsApp Business API, where Meta charges a per-message fee billed to your own Meta account, and customers must opt in to receive business messages. So the ordering tool is free; any WhatsApp automation cost is Meta's, paid directly to Meta, not a commission to Menuthere.
Who this is a good fit for
- US home kitchens, bakeries and small spots whose customers already chat with them on WhatsApp.
- Businesses serving communities with high WhatsApp use, or made-to-order food settled in a short chat.
- Owners who want one order link they can share by WhatsApp, SMS, email or QR at 0% commission.
Who this is not for
- Restaurants whose customers mostly don't use WhatsApp — lead with SMS, email and a QR menu instead.
- High-volume kitchens that need every order on a kitchen display without anyone reading a chat.
- Anyone selling alcohol or tobacco: WhatsApp's commerce rules bar selling those through its catalog and orders.
Common follow-up questions
Do Americans use WhatsApp to order food?
Some do, especially in communities with high WhatsApp use, but it is less universal in the US than in the Gulf, Latin America or Europe. Offering an order link by SMS, email and QR as well as WhatsApp reaches more US customers.
Is WhatsApp ordering 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.
Can I take the order by text instead of WhatsApp?
Yes. The same Menuthere order link works over SMS, email, Instagram or a QR code, so the customer picks their channel. The finished order still arrives totalled with their details at 0% commission.
Read next
Sources (2)
- About catalog — WhatsApp Business, WhatsApp, read 25 October 2026
- Menuthere free WhatsApp order page, Menuthere, read 25 October 2026