Is WhatsApp ordering worth it for a small restaurant?

Usually yes. The WhatsApp Business app is free, and the API adds automation for a small per-message fee: ₹0.115 for an order update in India.

• Start free: the Business app costs nothing. You answer each chat yourself, which suits a few orders a day.
• Upgrade when chats pile up: the API handles high volumes and can send the menu and order updates for you.
• API cost in India: ₹0.115 per order update and ₹0.8631 per offer, plus any fee your provider charges. Messages customers send you are free.
• From 1 October 2026, each number gets 1,000 free reply messages a month; after that, replies are charged at the utility rate.
• Worth it when chats arrive faster than you can answer, or orders get missed at busy times.