WhatsApp template to confirm reservations at your restaurant

If you have a restaurant or a pizzeria, you know that confirming a reservation on time is key: a customer who doesn't get a response within 5 minutes will go somewhere else. With this WhatsApp template, you'll respond quickly and in a friendly way, without having to type everything out again each time.

• {{1}}: customer's name (e.g., Martin)
• {{2}}: your business's name (e.g., Don Luigi's Pizzeria)
• {{3}}: reservation date (e.g., Saturday, March 15)
• {{4}}: reservation time (e.g., 21:00)
• {{5}}: contact phone number (e.g., 11 2345-6789)

1. 1In WhatsApp Business, open the templates section and create a new one with the 'Utility' category (it's a transactional message, not promotional).
2. 2Paste the message and replace the numbers {{1}}, {{2}}, etc., with the fields you want to customize.
3. 3Submit the template to Meta for review (approval can take up to 48 hours).
4. 4Once approved, use it to manually confirm reservations or load it into Wando so the AI can use it on its own when appropriate, always with your approval.

Note: this message is transactional (it confirms a reservation the customer already requested), so it falls under Meta's 'Utility' category. No additional opt-in is needed because the customer initiated the conversation. If you ever want to send promotions, then you'll need a marketing template and prior consent from the customer.

When to send this message (and when not to)

This template is for confirming a reservation that the customer has already requested. The right time is right after receiving their request, ideally before 5 minutes go by. This way the customer feels their request was taken seriously and won't go looking for another table.

DO NOT use it for:

Answering a question that isn't a reservation (the customer asks if there's room for 10 people on Saturday and hasn't confirmed anything). In that case, first reply with a free-form message and only use the template once the reservation is confirmed.

Rejecting a reservation: if you don't have space, the confirmation template isn't useful. You need your own message that explains the situation and offers an alternative.

Sending promotions or reminders: the Utility category is only for transactions. A paid reminder can be sent as a free-form message within an open conversation, but not as a new template.

What to reply if the customer responds: the 3 most likely responses

When the customer receives the confirmation, they may respond in several ways. These are the three most common and how to answer them.

1. The customer says 'Thank you'. No new template is needed: reply with a free-form message like 'You're welcome, {{1}}! See you on {{3}} 🙌'. Short and friendly.

2. The customer requests a change (more people, different time). Reply with a free-form message confirming the change: 'Sure {{1}}! I'll adjust your reservation for {{3}} at {{4}}, now it's {{2}} people. Does that work?'

3. The customer cancels. Reply with a free-form message: 'No problem {{1}}. We've freed up your table for {{3}}. If you'd like to book again, just let us know. Thanks for letting us know!'

If you use Wando, the AI suggests these responses based on the ones you've given before. You approve them with a click and that's it.

How to tell if the message worked

The message works if the customer shows up. But there are earlier signs you can look for:

The customer responds. If they confirm with a 'great' or 'perfect', the template did its job. If they don't respond, it doesn't mean it failed: the reservation still stands.

The customer doesn't call to complain. If you receive calls from people asking if their reservation was confirmed, something failed in the communication.

No-shows decrease. If you compare months with and without the template, you'll see fewer empty tables.

In Wando, the statistics show you how many messages were sent and how many responses you got. That gives you an idea of whether the customer interacts or just arrives without notice.

Why Meta may reject this template

Meta is strict with templates. Although the confirmation one seems harmless, they can reject it for:

Promotional text: if you include a phrase like 'Take advantage of our 2x1!' in the template, the Utility category becomes invalid and Meta rejects it.

Lack of clarity: if the message does not make it clear that it is a booking confirmation, Meta may consider it misleading.

Formatting errors: if the placeholders {{1}}, {{2}}, etc. are not properly marked or are repeated incorrectly, the template will not pass review.

To fix it: check that the message is purely transactional, without offers or promotional language. Adjust the placeholders and resubmit for review. Approval takes up to 48 hours.

Formal variant and casual variant: when to use each one

The formal variant is for customers you don't know or who prefer a more distant approach. Use it if the customer addressed you formally, if it's a large group reservation (more than 8 people), or if your restaurant is upscale. The template's tone must match the tone the customer uses, not the one you'd prefer.

The friendly variant is for regular customers, two-person reservations, or neighborhood restaurants. If the customer already wrote to you casually, the formal variant will sound cold. And vice versa: if a customer addressed you formally and you reply with emojis, they may feel uncomfortable.

Simple rule: when you're not sure, start with the formal one. The customer will set the tone in their response. If they write casually, then you switch to the friendly one in the next message.

What to reply if the customer responds: the 3 most likely responses

When the customer receives the confirmation, they may respond in various ways. These are the three most common ones and how to answer them.

1. The customer says 'Thank you'. No new template is needed: reply with a free message like 'You're welcome, {{1}}! See you on {{3}} 🙌'. Short and friendly.

2. The customer requests a change (more people, a different time). Reply with a free message confirming the change: 'Sure, {{1}}! I'll adjust your reservation to {{3}} at {{4}}, now it's {{2}} people. Does that work?'

3. The customer cancels. Reply with a free message: 'No problem, {{1}}. We've freed up your table for {{3}}. If you want to book again, just let us know. Thanks for letting us know!'

If you use Wando, the AI suggests these responses based on ones you've given before. You approve them with a click and that's it.

How to tell if the message worked

The message works if the customer shows up. But there are earlier signals you can look at:

The customer replies. If they confirm with a 'great' or 'perfect', the template did its job. If they don't reply, it's not a failure: the reservation still stands.

The customer doesn't call to complain. If you receive calls from people asking if their reservation was confirmed, something failed in the communication.

No-shows go down. If you compare months with and without the template, you'll see fewer empty tables.

In Wando, the statistics show you how many messages were sent and how many responses you got. That gives you an idea of whether the customer interacts or just shows up without notice.

Why Meta may reject this template

Meta is strict with templates. Even though the confirmation one seems harmless, they can reject it because of:

Promotional text: if you include a phrase like 'Take advantage of our 2x1!' in the template, the Utility category stops being valid and Meta rejects it.

Lack of clarity: if the message does not make it clear that it is a reservation confirmation, Meta may consider it misleading.

Format errors: if placeholders {{1}}, {{2}}, etc. are not properly marked or are repeated incorrectly, the template will not pass review.

To fix it: check that the message is purely transactional, without offers or promotional language. Adjust the placeholders and resubmit for review. Approval takes up to 48 hours.

When to send this message (and when not to)

This template is for confirming a reservation that the customer has already requested. The right time is right after receiving their request, ideally before 5 minutes pass. That way, the customer feels their request was taken seriously and will not go looking for another table.

DO NOT use it for:

Answering an inquiry that is not a reservation (the customer asks if there is space for 10 people on Saturday and hasn't confirmed anything). In that case, first reply with a free-form message and only use the template once the reservation is confirmed.

Rejecting a reservation: if you don't have space, the confirmation template is not useful. You need your own message that explains the situation and offers an alternative.

Sending promotions or reminders: the Utility category is only for transactions. A paid reminder can be sent as a free-form message within an open conversation, but not as a new template.