Decoding WhatsApp Ordering for Restaurants | Its Meaning and Benefits

WhatsApp has emerged as one of the most widely used messaging apps, with over 2 billion users globally and more than 500 million users in India alone. This staggering user base offers an excellent opportunity for restaurants to connect with their customers via “WhatsApp Ordering”.

In this article, uEngage will provide you with an in-depth insight into What is WhatsApp Ordering, its benefits, and how restaurant owners like you can enable it for their businesses.

What is WhatsApp Ordering?

WhatsApp Ordering is an online ordering solution for restaurants and F&B businesses. It serves as an automated system that allows customers to place orders directly through the WhatsApp chat interface. Customers can browse your restaurant’s menu, view item categories, customize their orders, add items to their cart, make payments, and complete the whole ordering process - all within WhatsApp.

Why Restaurants Demands a Food Ordering System?

In today’s digital age, having an efficient and reliable WhatsApp food ordering system is utterly important for restaurants, especially in India. With rising customer expectations and competition in the market, more and more restaurants are adapting to online, app-based ordering, or WhatsApp Ordering for Restaurants.

Food Ordering Systems permit restaurants to receive orders and allow customers to place orders and make payments using their smartphones. Further, such systems offer businesses the leverage to get data-driven insights and gain a deep understanding of customer preferences. Thereby offering much more convenience and a better experience to the customers. Here are the reasons Why Restaurants Demands a Food Ordering System:

1. One of the key reasons why restaurants demand a food ordering system is that it allows businesses to streamline their complete ordering process and provide much better efficiency in orders, especially in the case of busy restaurants.
2. Having WhatsApp Food Ordering systems helps restaurants cut down on waste, removing the need to have paper menus or physical menus. By adapting to this, restaurants can reduce their overall operational cost.
3. Reduced wait times is another reasons Why Restaurants Demands a Food Ordering System. WhatsApp Ordering for Restaurants allow customers to choose food items and place orders directly in the kitchen. It lowers the wait times.
4. Further, having a sound WhatsApp ordering for restaurants allow consumers too order online using their smartphones. By this restaurant can target a wider section of their audience.

Benefits of WhatsApp Ordering to F&B Businesses

Have a look at the major benefits of WhatsApp Ordering to F&B businesses: 

Menu Visibility

With WhatsApp Ordering, restaurants give their customers access to a full menu within the WhatsApp platform. They can showcase their menu items, combos, add-ons, special offers, latest additions, etc., within the WhatsApp chat window. Restaurants allow customers to place orders by themselves without any inconvenience by showcasing the complete menu in one centralized location. 

This further benefits restaurants by promoting special offers and high-margin items. They can also attract their customers with tailored recommendations based on order history and chat preferences through these in-chat menus. Thus, restaurants can gather higher order values with full menu visibility of WhatsApp Ordering.

Automated Bot Responses

WhatsApp Ordering allows restaurants to benefit from automated bot responses that manage the complete customer ordering process. These smart bots can take orders, collect order details, send payment links, verify received payments, manage customer communication, notify customers of delivery status updates, and much more. This complete order cycle is simplified with the automated system without any requirement of manual effort from restaurant staff.

With these automated bot responses, you can guarantee Quick Food Delivery via WhatsApp to all your customers. Furthermore, they also reduce human errors that may cause delays or miscommunication with customers. 

Multiple Payment Options

It has been proven that easy and flexible payment options increase the conversion rates of food orders and reduce the number of abandoned customer orders. This is why, multiple payment options are counted as another crucial benefit offered by WhatsApp Ordering to restaurants. Restaurant owners can integrate multiple payment platforms directly with WhatsApp like Credit/Debit Cards, UPI, Digital Wallets, Net Banking, and more. 

These embedded payment links allow customers to make payments within the chat window in just a few clicks. You don’t need to make your customers land on other apps to make the payments as they can do it without even leaving the WhatsApp chat. Moreover, the integration of payment channels with WhatsApp Ordering also leads to faster payments and fewer missed payments.

Instant Access to Order Details

One imperative benefit of WhatsApp Ordering for restaurants is the instant access to order details. Just when an order is placed over WhatsApp, the complete details will automatically flow into your restaurant’s dashboard or any POS system you use. This offers your staff real-time visibility into the complete online details as they start processing and fulfilling the order. 

Feedback Link

Customers rarely take a moment to go to your app and write feedback for your restaurant. However, they won’t mind providing one if no extra step of visiting your app is included. Here, WhatsApp Ordering plays an important role. WhatsApp Ordering allows restaurants to send an automated feedback link to customers once their order has been successfully delivered.

This feedback link into the existing WhatsApp chat generates a lot more responses than directing customers to a separate app or website. This is because customers are already active on the platform. 

Promotions and offers

WhatsApp can help your restaurant spread the word about its special deals. You can send promotional and exclusive offers directly to your customers. You can inform them about your daily promotions, happy hour offers, and even seasonal discounts through a direct channel. 

Because you're sending these messages directly, you'll be able to reach out to more users and get them excited about what you're offering. With WhatsApp's features, you can notify all of your customers at once about the latest and greatest events at your restaurant. This not only increases purchases but also generates buzz. People start talking about your restaurant, and before you realize it, more customers are walking through the door. 

Personalized Customer Support 

Here's the best part about using WhatsApp for your restaurant: you can communicate with your customers exactly like you would with a friend. When they have a question, a complaint, or simply want to talk about your meal, they can message you, and you can respond straight away.

This is amazing because your customers will feel like they are truly being heard and cared for. It's like giving them a VIP treatment. They will trust you more and want to return to your restaurant. So, in brief, using WhatsApp allows you to make your customers happy simply by having quick chat with them.

Gathering Valuable Data

Another benefit of WhatsApp for restaurants is that it allows you to learn from the customers you serve. You may easily send them a simple survey or message to gather feedback on your cuisine and service. The feedback you receive is like gold: it informs you what's good and what you should change. 

There's more: you can even integrate WhatsApp with your customer management system (CRM database). This is the right choice because it allows you to better track orders and recall your customers' favorite dishes. It's crucial to make your customers feel exceptional so they keep returning. So, by using WhatsApp, you're not only communicating with customers but also gathering essential data to help your business grow and thrive.

Importance of WhatsApp Ordering for Restaurants 

WhatsApp ordering can be a valuable tool for restaurants looking to improve the customer experience, boost sales, and build stronger relationships with their customers. What is the best part? You don't have to be a technology expert to use it. You can include your restaurant's menu, opening hours, and location. It's like having a mini-website within WhatsApp. 

1. Convenience for customers: Skip the app download!  Customers can explore your menu, place orders, and ask inquiries using the standard WhatsApp interface. 
2. Increased Sales: Simple ordering leads to more orders. WhatsApp makes placing food orders easy, encouraging people to choose your restaurant.
3. Improved Communication: WhatsApp encourages a personalized touch. Respond to queries, handle requests, and provide status updates immediately via chat.
4. Marketing and customer engagement: Stay in touch! Use WhatsApp to send promotions, share new menu items, and offer special deals to increase repeat business.
5. Simplified Order Management: Chatbots can automate certain parts of ordering. This frees up staff minimizes errors, and streamlines your operations.

A Complete Guide to WhatsApp Ordering for Restaurants

Now that you are fully aware of what exactly WhatsApp Ordering is and how it can benefit your business, you must be wondering what steps are involved in enabling it for your restaurant. How to take orders on WhatsApp? Is there any specific requirement to integrate it? 

Well, uEngage has answers to all your questions. WhatsApp Ordering powered by uEngage Edge is a reliable solution for restaurants. The process boils down to three prerequisites mentioned below:

1. A Facebook Business Manager Account 
2. A WhatsApp Business API Account (dedicated only for receiving and managing orders)
3. A Facebook Commerce Catalog with an active feed (to connect with your WhatsApp Business API Account) 

And done! You can now start accepting orders over WhatsApp. 

One crucial thing that you need to provide us among the above prerequisites is the Facebook Business Manager Account. This connects and manages all other digital assets to enable WhatsApp Ordering. As for the WhatsApp Business API Account and Facebook Commerce Catalog, we can help you manage their optimization and configuration as per your restaurant’s ordering needs. All you need to share is your Facebook Business Manager details, and let uEngage Edge take care of the rest!

Also Read: Tips To Choose the Best WhatsApp Ordering System Provider

WhatsApp Marketing for Restaurants

After learning about the meaning of WhatsApp Ordering, why it is importance and what benefits WhatsApp Ordering have on restaurants, it's time to shed light on the key WhatsApp Marketing strategies that can be opted by restaurants:

Broadcast Messages and Generate Leads

You might want to be able to send a message about your restaurant's latest promotion or new menu item to a large number of consumers at once. You can achieve this using the WhatsApp API. It's similar to announcing something to a group of people, but through their phones. You can inform everyone about your special discounts or new menu items, which will draw people's interest and increase your sales.

There is more. WhatsApp can also help you find new customers. You can set up messages that automatically respond to people when they first contact you. These messages can ask for their information, such as their name or email address, and in exchange, you can offer them something special, such as a discount. This is a great way to increase your customer base and keep them coming back for more of your delicious food.

Upload your food menu using the Catalog feature

Now you can post your entire food menu directly on WhatsApp. It's similar to having a digital menu that your customers may view on their phones. You can include dish names, descriptions, prices, and even images.

This is quite useful for your customers. They can browse your menu and choose what they want to eat and when they’re ready, they can just quickly choose and place their order. It's simple for them, and convenient for you.

Automated Messages, ChatBots, and FAQs

Using automation in WhatsApp Business can significantly improve your restaurant's efficiency. You can set up messages to automatically greet customers, notify them of the status of their orders, and answer common questions. It's like having a helper who is constantly available to talk to your customers.

Finally, there are chatbots. They can accept orders, suggest dishes based on customer preferences, and answer queries. This means that your customers get quick service, and your team has less work to do. You can also create a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs). Customers can acquire the information they need immediately and quickly. It saves time for everyone.

WhatsApp Ordering Solution is pivotal to scaling conversions, automating customer marketing, and increase revenue, and uEngage Edge can be an end-to-end solution to help you enable it for your business. Visit uEngage Edge to learn more!