A good new menu announcement message on WhatsApp does four things in under 60 words: names the new item, gives one reason to want it, says when it is available, and ends with a way to order. Everything else, from the emoji border to the paragraph about your chef's journey, lowers the chance that the customer reads to the link.
Below are twelve templates you can copy, grouped by situation: a full new menu launch, a single new dish announcement, and smaller menu update messages for price changes, removed items and seasonal specials. Swap the bracketed parts for your own details, keep the length, and send them to the right customers at the right time of day. The timing and audience rules are at the end.
What a new menu announcement message needs
- The item, in the first line. WhatsApp shows the first line in the notification. "New: Hyderabadi mutton biryani" beats "We have exciting news".
- One reason. A price, an ingredient, a limited run, or a customer request you are answering. Pick one.
- When. "From Friday", "this weekend only", "available at lunch". A date gives the customer a reason to act now.
- One way to order. Reply in the chat, or tap a link to your store page. Two links confuse; one link converts.
- A photo, if you have a good one. A single clear image of the dish does more than three paragraphs. A bad photo does less than no photo.
If you send through the WhatsApp Business API, a new menu launch message to customers who have not messaged you recently must be an approved template. The template approval guide explains the wording rules; the templates below are written to pass.
New menu launch message templates
Use these when you are changing a large part of the menu at once: a new season, a new cuisine section, or a relaunch after a kitchen change.
1. The short launch
Hi [Name], our new menu is live from [day]. 14 new dishes, including [dish 1] and [dish 2], and your regular favourites are still here. See the full menu and order at [store link].
2. The launch with a reason
Hi [Name], you asked for more vegetarian mains, so we built them. The new menu at [Restaurant] has six new veg dishes from ₹[price], starting [day]. Reply "menu" to see it, or order at [store link].
3. The launch with an early-access offer for regulars
Hi [Name], as one of our regulars you get the new menu two days before everyone else. Order any new dish before [date] and delivery is on us. Browse the new menu at [store link].
4. The launch for a specific meal time
Hi [Name], [Restaurant] now serves breakfast. Idli, poha, parathas and filter coffee from 7:30am to 10:30am, starting [day]. Pre-order tonight for tomorrow morning at [store link].
New dish announcement message templates
A single new dish deserves its own message, and these work best with one photo attached.
5. The plain new dish announcement
New this week at [Restaurant]: [dish name], [one-line description], ₹[price]. Available from [day] for delivery and pickup. Order at [store link].
6. The limited run
Hi [Name], we are making [dish name] for this weekend only, 40 portions a day. ₹[price]. Pre-order now at [store link] so you do not miss it on Saturday.
7. The customer-request dish
Hi [Name], a lot of you asked for [dish name] after we served it at [event or occasion]. It is on the menu from today at ₹[price]. Reply "yes" and we will add it to your next order.
8. The pairing suggestion
Hi [Name], you have ordered our [existing dish] a few times. The new [new dish] was made to go with it, and this week the two together are ₹[combo price] instead of ₹[full price]. Order at [store link].
Menu update message templates
Smaller changes still deserve a message, especially price changes. Customers forgive a price rise they were told about and resent one they discover at checkout.
9. The price change
Hi [Name], a quick heads-up: from [date] a few of our prices change to keep up with ingredient costs. [Dish] moves from ₹[old] to ₹[new]. Most items stay the same. The updated menu is at [store link]. Thank you for ordering from us.
10. The removed item
Hi [Name], we are taking [dish] off the menu after [date]. If it is a favourite, this is the week to order it. In its place we are adding [new dish] from [date]. Menu at [store link].
11. The seasonal special
Hi [Name], mango season is here, so [seasonal dish] is back on the menu from [date] until the fruit runs out. ₹[price]. Order at [store link].
12. The daily special
Today's special at [Restaurant]: [dish], ₹[price], available till 3pm or until sold out. Reply "1" to order one, or see the full menu at [store link].
Who to send each template to
| Message type | Send to | Best time |
|---|---|---|
| Full menu launch | Everyone who has opted in | Day before launch, 11am |
| Early-access launch | Regulars and high-value customers only | Two days before launch |
| New dish | Customers who ordered similar items | 5:30pm to 6:30pm |
| Limited run | Regulars first, everyone two days later | Thursday, 6pm |
| Price change | Everyone, a week before the change | Mid-morning, mid-week |
| Daily special | Customers who order lunch | 10:30am to 11:30am |
The first rule of audience is to avoid sending every menu update to the whole list. A new breakfast menu is noise to a customer who only ever orders dinner. The customer segmentation guide shows how to split your list by what people order and when, which is exactly what menu announcements need.
Mistakes that waste a menu announcement
- Burying the news. If the dish name is in the third line, the notification preview shows your greeting and nothing else.
- No order path. A message that describes the dish and ends there makes the customer search for you. Always close with a reply instruction or a link.
- Sending at 9pm. The customer has eaten. The message is read, forgotten, and buried by morning. The complete WhatsApp marketing guide covers timing in more depth.
- Announcing before the menu is updated. A customer who taps through and cannot find the new dish will not tap through next time. Update the store page first, then send.
- Too many in a week. One menu message a week is plenty. Combine small changes into one update rather than sending three.
For more templates beyond menu news, the 50 promotional message templates cover offers, festivals and reminders.
If your menu lives on a store page that customers can order from, every announcement can end with the same link and the new item will already be there. Tezzu gives you that store page with your menu and online payments, sends campaigns from your own WhatsApp number, and supports menu scheduling by weekday and time, so a breakfast-only item shows only at breakfast. See the cafe solution page for how that fits a small kitchen.
Send your next menu update from your own number
Start a free 7-day trial, put your menu on a store page, and send these templates to the customers who will actually order.
Start your free 7-day trialFrequently asked questions
How do you announce a new menu to customers?
Update your menu wherever customers order first, then send one short WhatsApp message that names the new items in the first line, gives a start date, and ends with a link or a reply instruction. Send it the day before launch at late morning, and give regulars early access a day or two earlier so they feel valued.
What should a new dish announcement include?
The dish name, a one-line description, the price, when it is available and how to order. Add one good photo. Leave out the backstory unless it is a single sentence that gives a reason to try the dish, such as a customer request or a seasonal ingredient that will not last.
How do I tell customers about a price increase on WhatsApp?
Tell them a week before, name the items that change with old and new prices, say most items stay the same if that is true, and thank them. Customers accept a price rise that is explained and resent one they discover at checkout. Keep it to one message, with a link to the updated menu.
Can I send a menu update to all my WhatsApp contacts?
Only to customers who have opted in to messages from your business. On the WhatsApp Business app, broadcast lists reach contacts who have saved your number, up to 256 per list. On the API, menu updates to customers who have not messaged you recently need an approved template, and opt-in records matter if anyone complains.