WhatsApp Marketing for Restaurants: A UK Guide
WhatsApp marketing for restaurants means sending booking reminders, offers and review requests to guests on WhatsApp, the app many of them already use every day. Done well, it feels like a helpful message from a venue they like rather than an advert. The keys are clear opt-in consent, a small number of useful messages, and timing them around real visits.
Why restaurants are trying WhatsApp
Email is still the workhorse of restaurant marketing, and SMS is great for short, time-sensitive messages. WhatsApp sits between the two:
Richer than SMS. You can include images, such as a photo of a new dish, and longer messages without them feeling cramped.
More personal than email. Messages appear alongside chats with friends and family, so they need to be relevant, but they tend to get noticed.
Familiar to guests. Many people already use WhatsApp to message local businesses.
That personal feel is also the risk. A badly timed promotion on WhatsApp feels more intrusive than the same message in an inbox, so restraint matters.
What to send on WhatsApp (and what not to)
Good uses
Booking reminders: a friendly reminder the day before, with the time and a way to change the booking.
Review requests: a short message the day after a visit inviting happy guests to leave a review.
Personal offers: a birthday treat, or an invitation back for guests who haven't visited in a while.
Event announcements for opted-in regulars: quiz nights, live music, tasting menus or a new menu launch.
Less suitable
Weekly newsletters. Long, general updates suit email better.
The same message to everyone. WhatsApp works best when the message clearly fits the person.
Frequent discounts. They train guests to wait for offers and make every message feel like an advert.
Consent comes first
Marketing messages over WhatsApp are treated like other electronic marketing in the UK, so you should only send promotional messages to guests who have agreed to receive them. WhatsApp's own business policies also require you to get people's permission before messaging them.
In practice:
Ask clearly. "Tick to receive offers and event news from us by WhatsApp" is far better than a vague catch-all.
Keep it separate. Don't make WhatsApp consent a condition of booking or getting online.
Record it. Keep a note of when and how each guest opted in.
Make opting out easy. Every marketing message should explain how to stop receiving them.
Service messages, such as a reminder about a booking a guest has made, are different from marketing, but keep them genuinely about the booking. For a wider look at consent, read our guide to guest Wi-Fi and GDPR. This is general information, so take advice if you're unsure about your own situation.
How to build a WhatsApp list
You can't message people who haven't given you their number and permission, so list-building is the first job.
At booking
Add an optional WhatsApp opt-in to your booking form for reminders and news.
Through guest Wi-Fi
When guests log in to your guest Wi-Fi, they can add their phone number as an optional field and choose which messages they'd like. It's one of the easiest ways to reach walk-in guests as well as bookers.
In the venue
A table card or a line on the menu ("Join our WhatsApp list for event news") works when staff can mention it naturally.
WhatsApp vs SMS vs email
Channel | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
Newsletters, menus, longer stories | Lower urgency | |
SMS | Short, urgent reminders and last-minute offers | Character limits, no images |
Personal offers, reviews, reminders with images | Feels intrusive if overused |
Most venues get the best results using all three, with each guest hearing from you on the channel they chose. Our guide to SMS marketing for pubs, bars and restaurants covers when text messages work best.
A simple WhatsApp plan to start with
Week one: add a WhatsApp opt-in to your Wi-Fi login and booking form.
Week two: set up an automated review request the day after a visit.
Week three: add a birthday message for guests who shared their date of birth.
Monthly: send one event or menu message to opted-in regulars, and check replies and opt-outs.
Keep the tone friendly and short, sign off with a name where you can, and never send more than you'd want to receive yourself.
WhatsApp marketing FAQs
Can I message guests from my personal WhatsApp?
It's best not to. Use a business account or a platform built for business messaging, so you can manage consent and opt-outs properly and keep guest data off staff phones.
How often should a restaurant send WhatsApp marketing messages?
Less often than email. For most venues, a few marketing messages a month at most, plus automated reminders and review requests linked to visits, is plenty.
Is WhatsApp better than SMS?
Not better, just different. WhatsApp suits richer, more personal messages; SMS suits short, urgent ones. Offer guests the choice.
How B-Connect helps
With B-Connect marketing, you can run email, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns from one step-by-step wizard, with AI-drafted copy for each channel that you review before sending. Branded guest Wi-Fi captures opted-in contacts, and automated review requests, offers and reminders go out at the right moment after each visit.
Plans start at £50 per month per location, with a 14-day free trial. To see how WhatsApp could work for your venue, book a demo.
