Why restaurant WhatsApp chats go unanswered
Restaurants and cafes get WhatsApp messages at exactly the wrong moments. "Are you open tonight?", "Do you have a vegetarian option?", "Can I order two pizzas for pickup at 8?", "Table for four on Friday?". They peak at lunch and dinner, when everyone is cooking or serving, and the phone sits on the counter buzzing. A missed message is often a missed order: the customer simply opens a delivery app instead.
A WhatsApp AI assistant for a restaurant answers in seconds during the rush. Wabo knows your menu, prices and hours, takes orders step by step and books tables, so the person behind the counter can keep their hands on the food.
How Wabo works in a restaurant or cafe
- Menu questions. Add dishes to the catalog with prices, options (size, extras) and photos, or upload your menu as a PDF. The assistant answers from it and sends photos of dishes when asked.
- Opening hours and location. Write your hours, delivery area and address in training; the assistant answers these instantly at any time of day.
- Takeaway and delivery orders. Order mode collects items, options, quantities, name, phone, address and payment method, shows a summary, waits for confirmation and saves the order. You get a WhatsApp notification, and orders can be exported to Excel.
- Table reservations. Use the appointment feature: a reservation service, your opening hours, closed days and capacity per slot. The assistant offers free times, confirms, and can send a reminder.
- Voice notes and quick bursts. Customers who send a voice note or three short messages in a row get one clear answer.
hi are you open now? can I order for pickup
Hi! I'm Basil & Ember's AI assistant. Yes, we're open until 23:00 and pickup orders are welcome. What would you like?
one large margherita and a tiramisu
1 × Margherita, large ($16) and 1 × Tiramisu ($7), total $23. Payment at pickup by card or cash. May I have your name and phone number?
Sam, 555 0142, card
Thanks, Sam! Order confirmed: 1 large Margherita and 1 Tiramisu, $23, paying by card at pickup. We'll have it ready for you.
Wabo does not know your kitchen's live status, so don't let it promise exact ready times unless you write a fixed rule like "Pickup orders are usually ready in about 20 minutes". When an order comes in, you get the notification and the kitchen takes it from there.
Setting it up for a restaurant
Menu as catalog
Create categories (starters, mains, desserts, drinks) and add dishes with prices and options. For a long menu, fill the Excel template and import it. Mark dishes as sold out on the day they run out so the assistant stops offering them. A menu photo can be added as a price list image too.
Rules for your service
Write delivery area and minimum order, payment options, reservation policy (how long a table is held, large groups) and a rule for allergies, for example "For allergy questions, give the listed ingredients only and hand the chat to staff". See train your assistant for how rules and FAQ entries work.
Reservations
In appointments, add a reservation service with a typical duration, enter your opening hours and closed days, and set capacity per slot so the assistant does not overbook. Enable or disable rescheduling and cancellation by chat.
Test during a quiet hour
Place a fake order and reservation in the test chat, ask about a sold-out dish and an allergy. When it behaves, link your WhatsApp.
Honest limits
Wabo is not a point-of-sale system or a delivery platform integration; orders are saved in Wabo and you handle them in the kitchen as usual. It replies to customers who write to you and does not send promotional or bulk messages. When you reply from your phone, it goes quiet in that chat for a few hours. To see how this compares with built-in greeting and away messages, read Wabo vs WhatsApp Business auto-reply.
Pricing
Wabo is $199 one time for one WhatsApp number, with 12 months of updates and a 7-day money-back guarantee. Gemini usage is billed by Google to your own key, and the app shows the estimated cost per 1,000 replies. Build your menu and test orders free before buying. See pricing or download the free trial.
Frequently asked questions
Can it take delivery and takeaway orders?
Yes. In order mode the assistant collects the items, options, quantities, name, phone, address and payment method, shows a summary and saves the order after the customer confirms. You get a notification on your own WhatsApp.
How do table reservations work?
Use the appointment feature: set up a reservation service, your opening hours, closed days and capacity per time slot. The assistant offers available times, confirms the booking and can send a reminder.
Can I send customers the menu?
Yes. Add your dishes to the catalog with photos and prices, add a menu image as a price list, or upload the menu as a PDF. The assistant answers from it and can send the image.
Will it answer allergy questions?
Only from what you give it, and we recommend a rule that hands detailed allergy questions to your staff. The assistant should not guess about ingredients.