Refund processed messages

A refund message to customer goes out from the owner, the manager or whoever handles payments, the moment a refund is started on a food order: a cancelled order, a missing item, a payment that got debited twice, or a wrong delivery. The one thing that makes it work is a date. A customer who paid ₹480 by UPI does not mind waiting five working days. They mind not knowing. Say the amount, where it goes back to, and by when, and most refund chats end right there.

Keep it under four lines. Always include the order ID, the exact amount, the method (the same UPI or card it came from, or a UPI transfer for cash orders) and a working-day window. Refunds through a payment gateway usually reach the customer's bank in 5 to 7 working days; say "usually", because the bank controls the last step. Send it from the same WhatsApp number the order came on, so it sits in the order thread. These are service replies inside an open conversation, so no opt-out line is needed, and no selling in the same message. For the policy behind the messages, see refund policy for food orders.

Hi [Name], your order [Order ID] from [Restaurant] has been cancelled as requested. A full refund of ₹[Amount] has been initiated to the same UPI or card you paid with. It usually reflects within 5 to 7 working days. Reply here if you need the reference number.

नमस्ते [Name], आपका order [Order ID] ([Restaurant]) आपके कहने पर cancel कर दिया गया है। पूरा refund ₹[Amount] उसी UPI या card में भेज दिया गया है जिससे आपने payment किया था। आम तौर पर 5 से 7 working days में आ जाता है। reference number चाहिए तो यहीं reply कर दें।

Hi [Name], we are sorry. We could not prepare order [Order ID] today because [Reason]. We have cancelled it and refunded ₹[Amount] in full to your original payment method. Expect it in 5 to 7 working days. We would like to make it up to you on your next order. [Restaurant]

नमस्ते [Name], माफ़ी चाहते हैं। आज हम order [Order ID] तैयार नहीं कर पाए क्योंकि [Reason]। order cancel करके ₹[Amount] का पूरा refund आपके payment method में भेज दिया है। 5 से 7 working days में आ जाएगा। अगली बार आपकी खातिरदारी का मौका ज़रूर देंगे। [Restaurant]

Hi [Name], thank you for telling us that [Item] was missing from order [Order ID]. That is our mistake. We have refunded ₹[Amount] for the item to your original payment method; it should reach you in 5 to 7 working days. If you would rather have the item sent now, reply SEND. [Restaurant]

नमस्ते [Name], बताने के लिए शुक्रिया कि order [Order ID] में [Item] नहीं था। गलती हमारी है। item के ₹[Amount] आपके payment method में refund कर दिए हैं, 5 से 7 working days में आ जाएंगे। अगर item अभी भिजवाना चाहें तो SEND reply करें। [Restaurant]

Hi [Name], we are sorry the [Item] in order [Order ID] arrived [damaged / wrong]. We have refunded ₹[Amount] to your original payment method, and it should reflect in 5 to 7 working days. The kitchen team has been told so this does not repeat. Thank you for your patience. [Restaurant]

नमस्ते [Name], माफ़ कीजिए, order [Order ID] में [Item] [खराब / गलत] पहुँचा। ₹[Amount] आपके payment method में refund कर दिया है, 5 से 7 working days में दिखेगा। kitchen team को बता दिया है ताकि ऐसा दोबारा न हो। धैर्य के लिए शुक्रिया। [Restaurant]

Hi [Name], we checked order [Order ID] and found two payments of ₹[Amount] against it. Only one was needed. The extra ₹[Amount] has been refunded to the same UPI or card. Payment gateway refunds usually take 5 to 7 working days. Your order is confirmed and on track for [Time]. [Restaurant]

नमस्ते [Name], order [Order ID] check किया, उसमें ₹[Amount] के दो payment आए थे। एक ही चाहिए था। extra ₹[Amount] उसी UPI या card में refund कर दिया है। payment gateway के refund में आम तौर पर 5 से 7 working days लगते हैं। आपका order confirm है और [Time] तक पहुँच जाएगा। [Restaurant]

Hi [Name], your refund of ₹[Amount] for order [Order ID] was initiated on [Date], reference [Ref ID]. It has left our side; the bank usually posts it within 5 to 7 working days, so by [Date] at the latest. If it is not there by then, send us a screenshot of your statement and we will follow up with the gateway. [Restaurant]

नमस्ते [Name], order [Order ID] का ₹[Amount] refund [Date] को शुरू हो गया था, reference [Ref ID]। हमारी तरफ से निकल चुका है, bank आम तौर पर 5 से 7 working days में डालता है, यानी ज़्यादा से ज़्यादा [Date] तक। तब तक न आए तो statement का screenshot भेजें, हम gateway से बात करेंगे। [Restaurant]

Hi [Name], for the issue with order [Order ID] we can refund ₹[Amount] to your bank in 5 to 7 working days, or add ₹[Credit Amount] as a coupon on your next order with us, valid for 30 days. Reply BANK or COUPON and we will do it right away. [Restaurant]

नमस्ते [Name], order [Order ID] वाली दिक्कत के लिए हम ₹[Amount] आपके bank में refund कर सकते हैं (5 से 7 working days), या अगले order के लिए ₹[Credit Amount] का coupon दे सकते हैं, 30 दिन तक valid। BANK या COUPON reply करें, हम तुरंत कर देंगे। [Restaurant]

Hi [Name], you paid ₹[Amount] in cash for order [Order ID] and [Item] was missing. Please share the UPI ID you want the refund on, and we will send ₹[Refund Amount] today itself. We have also passed a note to the packing team. [Restaurant]

नमस्ते [Name], order [Order ID] के ₹[Amount] आपने cash में दिए थे और [Item] नहीं पहुँचा। जिस UPI ID पर refund चाहिए वो भेज दें, ₹[Refund Amount] आज ही भेज देंगे। packing team को भी बता दिया है। [Restaurant]

Hi [Name], you skipped [Number] meals in [Month] on your [Plan] plan. ₹[Amount] for those days has been credited to your account and will be adjusted in next month's bill. If you prefer a bank refund instead, reply REFUND by [Date]. [Restaurant]

नमस्ते [Name], [Month] में आपने [Plan] plan में [Number] meal skip किए। उन दिनों के ₹[Amount] आपके account में credit कर दिए हैं, अगले महीने के bill में adjust हो जाएंगे। bank में refund चाहिए तो [Date] तक REFUND reply कर दें। [Restaurant]

Hi [Name], the refund of ₹[Amount] for order [Order ID] shows as completed on our side as of [Date]. It should now be visible in your UPI app or card statement. Reply DONE if you can see it, or NOT YET and we will check with the gateway. Thank you. [Restaurant]

नमस्ते [Name], order [Order ID] का ₹[Amount] refund हमारी तरफ से [Date] को complete दिख रहा है। अब आपके UPI app या card statement में दिखना चाहिए। दिख जाए तो DONE reply करें, नहीं तो NOT YET लिखें, हम gateway से check करेंगे। शुक्रिया। [Restaurant]

Hi [Name], your refund of ₹[Amount] for order [Order ID] has crossed the 7 working days we promised, and we are sorry. We have raised it with the payment gateway today, ticket [Ref ID]. You will hear from us within 2 working days either way. If you want to speak to the owner, call [Phone]. [Restaurant]

नमस्ते [Name], order [Order ID] का ₹[Amount] refund हमारे बताए 7 working days से ज़्यादा ले चुका है, इसके लिए माफ़ी। आज हमने payment gateway के पास ticket [Ref ID] डाल दिया है। 2 working days में आपको जवाब ज़रूर देंगे। मालिक से बात करनी हो तो [Phone] पर call करें। [Restaurant]

Tips for sending these on WhatsApp

• Send the refund message in the same chat as the order, so the customer has the order ID, the amount and the date in one place and does not have to ask twice.
• Promise the gateway's window, not a faster one. "Usually 5 to 7 working days" survives a slow bank; "by tomorrow" does not, and a broken promise turns a refund into a complaint.
• Keep a short internal note per refund (order ID, amount, reference, date) so any staff member can answer "where is my refund" without calling the owner. The complaint scripts for staff cover the rest of that conversation.
• Offer a coupon only after the customer knows a bank refund is available. Pushing store credit first reads as avoiding the refund.
• When the order was paid online through your store page, the refund goes back to the same UPI or card through the gateway; for cash orders, ask for a UPI ID in the message itself. If you take payments on Tezzu, the UPI payments guide explains how the money moves.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a refund take for an online food order?

For UPI and card payments made through a payment gateway, the refund is usually initiated the same day and reaches the customer's bank in 5 to 7 working days. Some banks post UPI refunds within a day or two, some take the full week. Tell customers the longer window and give them a date, and most will wait without sending a second message.

Should I refund to the bank or give store credit?

Give the customer the choice, with the bank refund listed first. A coupon on the next order keeps the money in your business and often brings the customer back, but it only works when they chose it. If you set up the coupon on your store page, make it single-use with a 30-day validity so the gesture has a clear shape and does not get forgotten.

What if the customer says the refund has not arrived?

Share the refund reference ID and the date it was initiated, and once the promised window has passed, ask for a bank statement screenshot. With the reference, the gateway or the customer's bank can trace it. Reply within the hour; a silent refund thread is what turns a small issue into a public one-star review.