Once you confirm an order, you do not have to call to ask where it is. The restaurant updates your order's status as it moves through the kitchen, and each change arrives as a WhatsApp message from the same number you ordered from. This page explains what each message means.
Where to find your order updates
All updates land in the same WhatsApp chat you used to order. Scroll up to see the full history: your order summary, the payment confirmation and each status change. Nothing is sent by email or SMS unless the store does that separately.
If you ordered on the store page instead of in the chat, the updates still go to the WhatsApp number you entered at checkout. So keep that phone nearby.
What each status means
The exact wording depends on the store, but you will see these stages in this order:
- Received or confirmed. The restaurant has your order and has accepted it. For online payments, this arrives right after your payment succeeds. For cash on delivery, the store may confirm manually after checking your address.
- Preparing. The kitchen has started cooking. From this point, changes to the order are hard, so if something is wrong, reply straight away.
- Out for delivery. Your food has left the restaurant with the rider. Keep your phone on, because the rider may call for directions.
- Delivered. The order has been handed over. Shortly after, you may get a short message asking you to rate the order. See how to leave a review.
If you chose pickup, there is no "out for delivery" step. You will see "preparing", and then the order is ready to collect at your chosen time. See how to pick up your order.
If you ordered at a table by scanning a QR code, the final status is "served", which means the food has reached your table.
If an update seems late
Every restaurant updates the status by hand from their counter, so a busy kitchen may be a few minutes behind. Here is what to do:
- Check the estimated time in your confirmation message, if the store sent one. Delivery times vary with distance and rush hours.
- If the order is still "received" well past that time, reply in the chat with a short message like "Any update on order 1234?". The restaurant team sees your message next to the order.
- If the order shows "delivered" but nothing has arrived, reply immediately so the store can check with the rider.
Common questions
Can I see the rider on a map?
Depends on the store. Status updates on WhatsApp are standard; live map tracking is not part of the WhatsApp order flow. If a store uses a delivery partner that offers tracking, they will send you that link separately.
I ordered two things and only one status came through. Why?
Status updates are per order, not per item. If you placed two separate orders, you get separate messages for each, with its own order number. Check the number in each message to tell them apart.
Can I track an order from a different phone?
No. Updates go only to the WhatsApp number used for the order. If you need to follow it from another phone, ask the restaurant in the chat to add that number as a contact for the order; whether they can depends on the store.