How do restaurants in Saudi Arabia take orders on WhatsApp?
Updated 30 September 2026
Restaurants in Saudi Arabia take WhatsApp orders by hand in the free WhatsApp Business app, or automatically on the WhatsApp Business API. On the API, an order update to a Saudi number costs SAR 0.0401 from 1 October 2026.
- Business app: free. The customer messages you, you reply with the total and confirm. Good for a few orders a day.
- Business API: automatic. The customer sends “Hi”, gets your menu, orders and gets updates. It usually runs through a provider, and Meta charges per message.
- From 1 October 2026, offer messages cost SAR 0.2159 each, and each number gets 1,000 free replies a month, then SAR 0.0401 per reply.
- Paying inside WhatsApp is not available in Saudi Arabia; it works in India, Brazil, Mexico and Indonesia. Collect payment by link, card or cash.
- Tobacco and alcohol cannot be sold through WhatsApp, so keep shisha and similar items out of your chats and catalog.
Take Saudi WhatsApp orders without typing totals
Customers send “Hi” to your number and get an Order Now button that opens your menu in any currency, including SAR. They can pay with cash, on pickup, or through your own payment link or bank details.
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Sources (4)
- WhatsApp Business app and Platform, WhatsApp Help Center, read 30 September 2026
- Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform, Meta for Developers, updated 28 September 2026
- About payments to businesses, WhatsApp Help Center, read 30 September 2026
- Policy enforcement violations, Meta for Developers, updated 21 May 2026