WhatsApp template to notify a maintenance closure at your restaurant

Your cold room broke down, you need to change the oven, or it's time for a deep kitchen clean. You close for a day or two, and that's perfectly fine. What's not fine is the customer arriving at the door and finding a "closed for maintenance" sign taped up. With a WhatsApp message you notify them in advance, avoid the bad experience, and also show that you run an organized business.

What goes in each variable

• {{1}}: the customer's name (e.g., "María"). If you don't have it, use "hey" or just "hello", but personalizing is always better.
• {{2}}: your business name (e.g., "Pizzería Don Pedro").
• {{3}}: the day or date of the closure (e.g., "Tuesday, March 12").
• {{4}}: the day or date of reopening (e.g., "Wednesday the 13th"). If it's several days, clarify "we'll be back on Thursday the 14th".

How to load this template in WhatsApp Business

1. 1Open WhatsApp Business and go to the message templates section (or directly to Wando, if you already use it, you load it in the panel and the AI uses it on its own when appropriate).
2. 2Choose the "Utility" category (it's a service notice, not marketing).
3. 3Paste the text and replace the variables with the fields you want: name, business, closure day, reopening day.
4. 4Submit it for approval. Meta takes up to 48 hours to give the OK, so plan ahead: if the closure is on Tuesday, load it the previous Friday.
5. 5Once approved, send it to your contacts or schedule it from Wando so it goes out automatically at the time you want.

When to send it and when NOT to

Send it between 24 and 48 hours before the closure. If it's an emergency closure (something broke overnight), send it as soon as you know: better to notify late than not at all. Don't send it at 2 in the morning or at lunchtime, because the customer will read it with a full stomach and forget it. Choose a calm time, like 10 in the morning or 5 in the afternoon.

Don't use it to sell: this template is for notifying, not for offering the weekend promo. If you mix it up, Meta may reject it and the customer will ignore you. Also, don't send it to people who never wrote to you or didn't opt in to receive messages: besides being annoying, you risk getting reported.

What to reply when the customer responds

When you send a notice like this, 90% of the replies will be one of these three. Prepare them so you're not caught off guard.

1. "But can you still take my order?"

2. "So why are you closing?"

3. "Oh, okay, let me know when you're back"

How to measure if it worked

You don't need to be a data genius: just look at the number of responses you received. If people replied "thanks" or "sure, let me know," the message came across well. If they asked for the menu or asked about the reopening date, even better. If no one responded, the message was probably unclear or sent at a bad time. You can also check Wando's statistics: it tells you how many messages were delivered and how many were read.

Mistakes that cause Meta to reject it or the customer to ignore it

• Using the marketing category instead of utility: Meta is strict and may reject it. This notice is about service, not a promo.
• Writing everything in caps or with too many exclamation marks: it looks like spam and the customer skips it.
• Not including the reopening date: if you don't know when you'll be back, better wait until you do, because a notice without a date is useless.
• Sending the message to contacts who have never written to you: besides being annoying, it goes against WhatsApp's rules and your account could be restricted.
• Not testing the template before sending it: upload it to Wando, send it to your own number, and see how it looks. A typo in the date is unforgivable.

Message variations

If you use Wando, you don't just load the template in the panel: the AI learns it and can use it on its own when it detects that a customer writes to you near the closing date. But always with your approval: you have the control.

Frequently asked questions

Why Meta rejects a template like this and how to fix it

Meta rejects utility templates when the text does not make it clear that it is a service notice or when it asks something of the customer. If your template says 'we notify that we close', it is utility. If it says 'take advantage of our promo', it is marketing and they reject it in the wrong category.

Another common reason: poorly declared variables. If you put {{1}} but in the example you do not clarify what goes there, Meta does not know if it is a name, a date, or a link. That is why the example field is key (we will see it in the next section).

If it gets rejected, do not resend it as is: correct the text and upload it again. The rejection is not final, but each attempt adds delays. Check that there are no all caps, excessive exclamation marks, or promises you cannot keep.

• Incorrect category: use 'Utility' for service notices.
• Variables without a clear example: Meta needs to know what type of data each one is.
• Text that mixes sales with notices: separate it into two templates.
• Missing mandatory data such as the reopening date.

What to write in the example field when uploading the template

The example field is where Meta sees how your message will look with real data. If you leave it empty or put anything random, approval gets stuck. Use clear and representative examples:

For {{1}} put 'María' (a common name). For {{2}} the name of your restaurant, like 'Pizzería Don Pedro'. For {{3}} a specific date, 'Tuesday, March 12'. For {{4}} another date, 'Wednesday 13'.

Don't put 'customer' or 'business' as an example: Meta wants to see a real case, even if fictional. And watch out: if the example doesn't match the variable (for example, you put a date in {{1}}), they reject it.

How to chain this notice with the previous and next message

This notice doesn't live alone: it comes after a previous conversation and opens the door to the one that follows. If the customer wrote to you before to ask about the menu, start the notice with 'since you wrote to us the other day' to provide context.

When the customer responds, don't leave them hanging. If they say 'okay, let me know', reply with a follow-up message as soon as you reopen, also as a utility template: 'Hello {{1}}! We're back. Shall we prepare your usual order?'.

The key is that the closing notice is the middle link: before, a real conversation; after, an invitation to return. If you send it without context, it looks like spam. If you don't follow up, you lose the chance to retain the customer.

What to do with customers who respond outside the 24-hour window

The 24-hour window is the time you have to reply for free after the customer writes to you. If they respond to the closure notice and you exceed that limit, you cannot send a free-form message: you need an approved template.

The solution is to have a follow-up template ready, like 'Hi {{1}}, we're writing to you from {{2}} to pick up our conversation. How can we help you?' You can send that even if days have passed, as long as the customer has opted in to receive messages.

Another option: if the customer wrote to you first, the window reopens and you can reply normally. But if not, don't improvise: use the template or wait for them to write to you. Sending a free-form message outside the window is the fastest way to get your account restricted.

Checklist before sending the template for the first time

Before hitting the send button, review this:

1) The template is approved by Meta (takes up to 48 hours). 2) The variables have sample values loaded and the text looks good with real data. 3) The category is 'Utility', not 'Marketing'. 4) The closure date and the reopening date are correct and included in the message.

5) The sending time is reasonable (not at 2 AM). 6) The contacts have written to you before or have accepted receiving messages. 7) You tested the template on your own number to see how it arrives. 8) You have prepared answers to the most common questions.

If something fails, fix it before sending it to everyone. A typo in the date or a send at the wrong time can cost you customers.