Out for delivery WhatsApp templates for restaurants
Updated October 20, 2026
An "out for delivery" WhatsApp message is a utility template: a delivery update on one customer's order, which is one of Meta's own utility examples. The best version names the driver and carries a Track order button, so the customer follows the delivery on a live map instead of calling you. It costs about US$0.0034 per message to a US number on Meta's rate card effective October 1, 2026. In Menuthere the Order dispatched flow sends it with the driver's name and phone when you assign a rider, and its Track Order button opens a live map that needs no app.
In short
- Category: Utility. Meta's examples include "your package from order {{order_number}} is on its way".
- One rule for the button: Meta allows one variable in a link, at the very end. So a template's Track order button must be your order-page address plus the order's id.
- In Menuthere: the Order dispatched flow, with the rider's name and phone and a Track Order button. Riders are your own staff on the Menuthere Delivery App (iPhone and Android), assigned with one tap.
- In the US, WhatsApp can send order updates but not promotions; use email for offers.
Three out-for-delivery wordings
{{driver_name}} is filled by Menuthere when a rider is assigned. {{eta}} is a time you type, such as "25 minutes".
1. With tracking
Header: Your order is on its way
Hi {{customer_name}}, your order #{{order_id}} from {{store_name}} is on its way. Your driver is {{driver_name}}. Tap Track order to see where they are.
Button: Track order2. With arrival time
Your order #{{order_id}} has left {{store_name}}, {{customer_name}}. Expected arrival: about {{eta}}. Please keep your phone nearby in case the driver calls.3. Leave at door
Hi {{customer_name}}, {{driver_name}} is bringing your order #{{order_id}} now. We'll leave it at your door and message you once it is delivered.The template to submit to Meta
Wording 1 with the Track order button, ready to paste:
Name: out_for_delivery_tracking
Category: Utility
Language: en_US
Header (text): Your order is on its way
Body:
Hi {{1}}, your order #{{2}} from {{3}} is on its way. Your driver is {{4}}. Tap Track order to see where they are.
Body examples:
{{1}} = Maria
{{2}} = 1042
{{3}} = Luna Taqueria
{{4}} = Carlos
Button (visit website): Track order → https://menuthere.com/order/{{1}} (example: https://menuthere.com/order/8f3c2a71)The tracking link in this template always points at your Menuthere order page. That is deliberate: a courier's own tracking link changes completely from order to order, and Meta only lets the end of a template link change.
What the customer gets when the order goes out
| Moment | WhatsApp message | What the Track Order page shows |
|---|---|---|
| You assign your own rider | "Order Dispatched!", "is on the way", the rider's name and phone | Rider's name, an arrival estimate and a Call button |
| Rider starts sharing location | Nothing new: no extra message, no extra cost | A live map with the rider, your store and the address; the position refreshes about every 3 seconds |
| Before the rider's phone shares a position | Nothing new | "Waiting for rider's location" |
| Order handed to a courier that gives a tracking link | The same flow | The courier's own tracking page |
Riders are assigned by hand from the order screen; Menuthere does not auto-assign, route or batch deliveries. Full detail: WhatsApp order tracking and the rider app.
What it costs per send
| Customer's number | Utility rate per message | Per 1,000 sends |
|---|---|---|
| United States and Canada | US$0.0034 | US$3.40 |
| United Kingdom | US$0.022 | US$22.00 |
| India | US$0.0014 | US$1.40 |
| Brazil | US$0.0068 | US$6.80 |
| United Arab Emirates | US$0.0157 | US$15.70 |
Meta's USD rate card effective October 1, 2026, read on October 20, 2026. Meta bills your own WhatsApp Business account; Menuthere adds no markup. Check any other country in the WhatsApp cost calculator.
Worked example: one delivery from a Phoenix wing shop
A Friday order, own driver, customer on a US number. Three updates are switched on: accepted, dispatched and completed.
| Time | What happens | WhatsApp message | Meta fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:02 PM | Order placed on the website (the customer never wrote to the shop) | None: the shop keeps the confirmation on the order page | US$0 |
| 7:04 PM | Shop accepts | "Order accepted" utility template | US$0.0034 |
| 7:26 PM | Driver Carlos assigned | "Out for delivery" template with Track order | US$0.0034 |
| 7:26 to 7:41 PM | Customer opens Track order four times | None: it's a web page | US$0 |
| 7:43 PM | Order completed | "Delivered" template | US$0.0034 |
| Per order | 3 templates | US$0.0102 |
At 450 deliveries a month that is US$4.59 in Meta fees. The same three updates to UK numbers cost US$0.066 per order, or US$29.70 a month, which is why UK shops often send only the out-for-delivery message.
Related: how to send delivery updates on WhatsApp, how to stop "where is my order?" messages and can my rider share a live location on WhatsApp.
FAQs
Is an out for delivery message a utility or marketing template?
Utility. A delivery update on the customer's own order is one of Meta's own utility examples, as long as it carries no offer.
Can a WhatsApp template include a live tracking link?
Yes, as a URL button. Meta allows one variable per link and it must be at the end, so use a fixed address such as your order page followed by the order's id.
Does the customer need an app to track the driver?
No. In Menuthere the Track Order button opens a web page with the rider's name, an arrival estimate, a live map and a Call button. Only your riders install the Menuthere Delivery App.
How much does an out for delivery WhatsApp message cost?
About US$0.0034 to a US or Canadian number and US$0.022 to a UK number on Meta's USD rate card effective October 1, 2026. Opening the tracking page costs nothing.
Does Menuthere assign drivers automatically?
No. You assign a rider with one tap on the order screen, with online riders listed first. Assigning the rider marks the order dispatched and sends the message.
Sources (6)
- Meta categorization page utility example "Shipping update" ("…is on its way. Your tracking number is {{tracking_ID}}"), accessed 20 Oct 2026.
- Meta for Developers, Template categorization (utility = non-promotional and specific to or requested by the user; mixed content = marketing; examples by category; utility submitted but judged marketing is approved as marketing since April 9, 2025): https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/template-categorization (accessed 20 Oct 2026; the page shows no date)
- Meta for Developers, Template components (text header 60 characters and 1 parameter; body 1,024; footer 60; up to 10 buttons; URL buttons up to 2, label 25, one variable appended to the end of the URL): https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/components (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Meta for Developers, Template review (rejection reasons: mismatched braces, non-sequential parameters, too many parameters for the length, template starts or ends with a parameter, duplicates; decisions can take up to 24 hours): https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/template-review (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Meta for Developers, Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform (per delivered message, by category and the recipient's country calling code; utility in the customer service window billed as regular from October 1, 2026; 1,000 free service messages per business number per month): https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- Meta for Developers, Per-user marketing template message limits ("WhatsApp does not currently deliver marketing template messages to WhatsApp users with United States phone numbers", defined as +1 with a US area code): https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/marketing-templates/per-user-limits (accessed 20 Oct 2026)