WhatsApp Integration — orders in one tap
Accept orders through WhatsApp — the way it's done across Latin America ("Pedir por WhatsApp"), the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia. A guest builds a cart in your QR menu, taps the green button — and the order opens as a ready-made message in a WhatsApp chat with your restaurant.
1. Overview
WhatsApp is the primary ordering channel in many countries: in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and Colombia it's used by over 90% of smartphone owners, and for most small restaurants the chat itself is the "order management system".
The Meni integration uses the official WhatsApp click-to-chat mechanism (wa.me links):
- Fully serverless — the order is composed right on the guest's device and opens in the WhatsApp app. No middleman servers, bots or webhooks.
- No WhatsApp Business API required — a regular WhatsApp account or the free WhatsApp Business app on the restaurant's phone is enough.
- 0% commission — unlike delivery aggregators (15–30%).
- The order is mirrored in Meni — it's also recorded in the admin panel's Orders section tagged with the WhatsApp channel, so history and analytics are preserved.
What the guest sees
- The guest scans the QR code and opens the menu.
- Adds dishes to the cart, picks delivery or pickup, enters name, phone and address.
- Taps the green "Order via WhatsApp" button.
- WhatsApp opens with the order text already filled in — all that's left is to hit "Send".
- The restaurant receives the order as a regular message and replies right in the chat: confirmation, timing, payment.
Message example
🍽 Cantina La Plaza — Order #1042
▪ 2× Tacos al pastor — 180 ₾
· Size: large
· + Guacamole
▪ 1× Lemonade — 40 ₾
*Total: 220 ₾*
📦 Delivery
📍 Address: 12 Rustaveli st., apt. 5
👤 Name: Maria
📞 Phone: +995 555 123 456
💵 Payment: cash
The text is generated in the language the guest was browsing the menu in.
2. Requirements
- ✅ A Meni account with a configured location
- ✅ A phone number with WhatsApp (regular or WhatsApp Business)
- ✅ Ordering enabled in the menu (cart not disabled)
Nothing else: no API keys, no Meta verification, no separate server.
3. Two-minute setup
- Open the Admin Panel → Locations → pick a location.
- Find the "Delivery & Pickup" section.
- Enable the "Accept orders via WhatsApp" checkbox.
- Enter the WhatsApp number in international format, e.g.
+995 555 123 456.- If left empty, the WhatsApp number from the location's contacts section is used.
- Changes save automatically — the button appears in the client menu once the profile syncs.
💡 Also enable "Delivery enabled" and/or "Pickup enabled" so the guest can choose how to receive the order. With both off, the order is placed as a dine-in order.
4. Handling orders
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | The order arrives as a WhatsApp message |
| 2 | Confirm it with a reply (prep time, total) |
| 3 | In parallel the order shows up in Admin → Orders with the "WhatsApp" channel |
| 4 | Update the order status in the admin panel as usual — the guest sees it on the order page |
Tips:
- Use WhatsApp Business: quick replies, catalog, labels for orders.
- Pin a reply template: "Got it! Cooking now, ready in ~30 minutes".
- A separate WhatsApp number can be set per location.
5. FAQ
Do I need the WhatsApp Business API?
No. The integration uses official click-to-chat links (wa.me) which work with any WhatsApp account. The API is only needed by large chains for automation, and this integration doesn't require it.
What if the guest doesn't have WhatsApp installed?
The wa.me link opens WhatsApp Web in the browser. The regular "Place order" button also remains available.
Is the order recorded even if the guest never taps "Send" in WhatsApp? Yes, the order is recorded in the admin panel the moment the button is tapped. Even if the WhatsApp message never arrives, the order details are visible in the Orders section.
Can I use different numbers for delivery and pickup? Currently one number per location. For different scenarios, create separate locations.
Does it work with group chats? No, click-to-chat opens a direct chat with the specified number.