Taking takeaway orders on WhatsApp: menu, buttons and payment links for QSRs
A WhatsApp ordering bot for a QSR shows the menu as a list, offers combos through a carousel, takes payment via a Razorpay link, and pushes the order to the kitchen through a webhook the moment it's paid. A ready-for-pickup message closes the loop without a staff member manually relaying each order.
- List menus keep ordering structured; free-text ordering leads to missed items and back-and-forth.
- A carousel works well for showcasing combo deals with images and prices together.
- Push paid orders to the kitchen through a webhook instantly, not by a staff member re-typing them.
- Send a ready-for-pickup message the moment the order is done, not a fixed time estimate.
- Keep menu prices in a connected sheet so updates don't require rebuilding the flow.
Why WhatsApp ordering suits QSR better than a call
During a lunch rush, a QSR's phone line is often engaged or unattended while staff handle in-store orders. WhatsApp lets a customer browse the menu and place an order at their own pace, without competing for a staff member's attention on a call, and without the misheard items that happen easily over a noisy kitchen phone line.
It also removes a recurring source of disputes: a phone order taken quickly and scribbled down is prone to mistakes that surface only at pickup, wrong quantity, missed add-on, incorrect spice level. A WhatsApp order gives both sides a written record of exactly what was requested, which cuts down on 'that's not what I ordered' conversations at the counter.
Menu as a list, combos as a carousel
Use a List Menu for the core menu, categories like starters, mains, beverages, since it keeps choices scannable on a phone screen. For combo deals or featured items with images, a Carousel block works better, letting customers swipe through cards with a photo, price and an 'Add' button on each.
| Menu section | Block | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Full menu / categories | List Menu | Scannable text list, easy to browse by category |
| Combos / featured items | Carousel | Image + price together drives higher-value adds |
| Customisation notes | Free text step (optional) | Captures 'no onions' type requests |
Keep the menu hierarchy shallow, category then item, rather than nesting sub-categories three levels deep. A customer who has to tap through several menus just to find a beverage is more likely to abandon the order than one who reaches the same item in one or two taps.
Payment with a Razorpay link
Once the order is built up through Set Variable steps tracking each item, generate a Razorpay payment link block with the total amount. A payment trigger then continues the flow automatically the moment payment is completed, no need for the customer to send a screenshot or for staff to verify manually.
A sample order summary before payment: 'Your order: 2x Paneer Tikka Roll (₹180), 1x Cold Coffee (₹90). Total: ₹270. Tap below to pay and confirm.' Showing the itemised total before the payment link reduces disputes at pickup.
Getting the order to the kitchen instantly
On successful payment, a Webhook block posts the order details (items, quantities, customer name, order ID) straight to your kitchen display system or order management tool. This removes the step of a staff member re-typing a WhatsApp order onto a ticket, which is where mistakes usually creep in during a rush.
If your kitchen doesn't have a display system, the same webhook can post to a shared printer or a simple notification channel your team already watches, the point is removing the manual re-entry step, not requiring a specific piece of hardware. Even a basic setup that prints a ticket automatically the moment payment clears is a meaningful improvement over manually copying WhatsApp messages.
Edge cases and mistakes to avoid
- Payment abandoned mid-way: don't send the order to the kitchen until the payment trigger confirms success; a short reminder after a few minutes of no payment is enough.
- Customisation requests: add a simple free-text note step after item selection rather than forcing every variation into button options, which would make the menu unmanageably long.
- Mistake to avoid: hardcoding prices directly into flow text. Keep them in a connected sheet so a price change doesn't need editing every message.
- Item goes out of stock mid-service: update the menu source immediately, an order placed and paid for an unavailable item creates a refund headache that's easily avoided by keeping stock status current.
Peak-hour volume is worth planning for separately. If your kitchen has a practical ceiling on how many orders it can prepare in a 30-minute window, consider pausing new WhatsApp orders temporarily once that ceiling is close, rather than accepting orders the kitchen can't fulfil within a reasonable pickup time.
Building it on Convo360
- Trigger the flow on keyword ('order') or a Send Template broadcast with an order-now button.
- Build the menu with List Menu and feature combos with Carousel.
- Track the running order using Set Variable and confirm with a summary before payment.
- Add a Razorpay payment link block, and branch on the payment trigger.
- On payment success, fire a Webhook to your kitchen system, then send a 'ready for pickup' Send Message once staff mark it complete via your system's callback.
What it costs, and measuring it
This flow needs the Starter plan (₹999/month) for WhatsApp and the flow builder; Razorpay integration is included, and you pay Razorpay's standard transaction fees directly, Convo360 adds no markup.
Track cart-to-payment completion rate in Flow Logs, orders that reach the payment link but don't complete point to friction in the payment step itself, worth checking whether the link works smoothly on the devices your customers use.
Also track average order value over time once the bot is live. Because a carousel makes combos and add-ons visually easy to tap on, many QSRs see order values creep up simply from better presentation, worth comparing against your pre-bot average to see if that's happening for your menu too.
Example conversation
Industry guide: AI agents for Restaurants & QSR — Reservations, orders & feedback on autopilot.
Start taking WhatsApp orders
Start free in minutes — no code, no credit card. Bring your own AI keys and pay no per-message markup.
Frequently asked questions
Can customers customise items, like removing an ingredient?
Yes, by adding a short note step after item selection where customers can type customisations, which get attached to the order sent to the kitchen.
What happens if a payment fails or is abandoned?
The order stays unconfirmed and isn't sent to the kitchen; you can add a short reminder message if payment isn't completed within a few minutes.
Can this bot handle delivery as well as pickup?
Yes, by adding an address-collection step and a delivery-fee variable before the payment link, though many QSRs keep delivery on a dedicated aggregator and use this flow for pickup only.
How do I update prices or menu items without rebuilding the flow?
Keep menu items and prices in a connected Google Sheets source using the Flow Builder's Google Sheets integration, so updates reflect in the bot automatically without editing the flow itself. Update the sheet before your shift starts and the change applies to the very next order within a few minutes.
Does the customer get a receipt?
Razorpay sends its own payment confirmation, and you can add a Send Message step with an order summary as a receipt inside the WhatsApp chat.
What if an item runs out of stock during a busy period?
Update the connected menu source immediately so the bot stops offering it, since an order paid for an item that's no longer available creates an avoidable refund situation.
Related reading
Available across India — see WhatsApp & AI calling automation by state and city.