WhatsApp template to promote the week at your restaurant

If you own a pizzeria or any food business, you know that the phone doesn't stop between 12:00 and 15:00, and that the same questions repeat all day: "Do you deliver to such neighborhood?", "How much does the napolitana cost?". With a well-crafted WhatsApp template, you can notify your customers about this week's promotion without having to answer the same thing a thousand times. Here we leave you a model message that you can copy and paste, designed for Meta's official WhatsApp API.

What goes in each variable

• {{1}}: the customer's name (e.g., "María").
• {{2}}: your business name (e.g., "Pizzería Don Luigi").
• {{3}}: the specific promotion (e.g., "2 napolitana pizzas + soda").
• {{4}}: the price or discount (e.g., "$15,000").
• {{5}}: your WhatsApp number or contact phone (e.g., "11 2345 6789").
• {{6}}: the delivery area or condition (e.g., "CABA").

How to load this template

1. 1Copy the message above and replace the variables {{1}}, {{2}}, etc. with the real data of your promo.
2. 2Go to WhatsApp Business (or the platform you use to manage your WhatsApp) and create a new template with this text.
3. 3Choose the "Marketing" category because it's a promotion. Meta has to approve it (it usually takes up to 48 hours).
4. 4Make sure you have your customers' opt-in: you can only send this type of message to those who agreed to receive promotions.
5. 5If you use Wando, load it in the panel and the AI will use it automatically when appropriate, always with your prior approval.

Message variations

Important about the official API

This type of promotional message uses the "Marketing" category in Meta's official WhatsApp API. That means you need the template to be approved (up to 48 hours) and the customer to have given their consent to receive promotions. We don't invent prices or times: it's what Meta's documentation says. If you don't have the opt-in, better use transactional messages (like order confirmations) that don't require prior approval.

When to send this message (and when NOT to)

Timing matters as much as the text. Send it between Tuesday and Thursday, from 10:00 to 12:00 or from 17:00 to 19:00: those are the times when people decide what to eat and are not yet in the lunch or dinner rush. Avoid early Monday (nobody wants deals, they want the weekend back) and Friday night (they already have plans).

Don't send it if the customer hasn't given you the OK to receive promotions. Also don't send it twice in the same week: the template is for a specific promo, not for spam. And watch out for holidays: if it's a day your business is closed, it makes no sense to send an offer you can't fulfill.

• Send it Tuesday to Thursday, 10:00-12:00 or 17:00-19:00.
• Don't send without prior opt-in.
• Don't repeat the same promo during the week.

The three most likely customer responses (and how to answer them)

When you send a promo, the customer doesn't always say "yes, go ahead." We've prepared three typical responses with a model message for each. Copy and adapt them.

Response 1: "How much does it cost?" (even though you already said it, they didn't read it). Reply: "Hi {{1}}! The promo is {{2}} for {{3}}. Should I set it up for you?".

Response 2: "Do you deliver to my area?" ({{4}} is the customer's neighborhood). Reply: "Hi {{1}}! Yes, we deliver to {{4}}. The promo of {{2}} comes to {{3}}. Should I send it over?".

Response 3: "I can't right now, can you remind me?" Reply: "Hi {{1}}! No problem. Should I text you on Thursday to see if it works? If you'd like, you can also order anytime at {{5}}."

• Response to "how much does it cost?": repeat price and promo.
• Response to "do you deliver?": confirm area and offer.
• Response to "not now": offer follow-up, don't insist.

How to know if the message worked

It's not enough to send the template and wait. You need to measure whether the promo actually got the phone ringing. The metrics that matter: how many replied (not just how many received), how many asked for the price, how many confirmed an order.

In Wando, the statistics of each campaign show you delivered, read, and replied. If the response rate is low (less than 5%), try changing the time or the text of the promo. If it's high, repeat the formula next week.

• Look at the response rate, not just the delivered ones.
• If less than 5% respond, adjust the time or message.
• If more than 15% respond, it's a winning promo.

Why Meta may reject your template (and how to fix it)

Meta doesn't approve everything you send. The most common reasons for rejection: missing variables (like {{1}} or {{2}}), confusing or misleading text, or the promotion isn't clear. They also reject if the message looks like spam (for example, too many emojis or all caps).

To fix it: check that all variables are well defined, that the text is direct, and that the promo is specific (not generic "discounts"). If they reject it, Meta tells you the exact reason in the template panel. Fix that and send it again. Don't insist with the same text without changes: they'll reject it again.

• Poorly defined variables: make sure to explain each {{n}}.
• Misleading text: the promo must be clear and real.
• Spam: no ALL CAPS or extra emojis.

Formal variant and casual variant: when to use each

The formal version ("Dear {{1}}...") is for clients who don't know you well or who prefer a serious treatment: wineries, high-end restaurants, or if it's the first time you write them. The casual version ("Hi {{1}}! 👋") is for regular clients, who already bought from you and expect a friendly treatment.

Simple rule: if the client uses informal 'tú' with you or replies with emojis, use the informal tone. If they address you formally or are a new contact, use the formal tone. Don't mix: a 'Dear' with a '😉' looks odd.

• Formal: new clients or serious dealings.
• Informal: regular clients or those who already use informal 'tú' with you.
• Don't mix tones in the same message.