---
title: How to Set Up WhatsApp Notifications in WPCafe
description: "## **Overview** WhatsApp notifications in WP Cafe send an automatic message to your customers and to you when a food order or a table reservation changes. They use the official Meta WhatsApp Cloud API and message templates you approve in…"
url: "https://themewinter.com/docs/plugins/wp-cafe/how-to-set-up-whatsapp-notifications-in-wpcafe/"
updated: "2026-11-12"
category: WPCafe / Integrations
---

# How to Set Up WhatsApp Notifications in WPCafe

## **Overview**

WhatsApp notifications in WP Cafe send an automatic message to your customers and to you when a food order or a table reservation changes. They use the official Meta WhatsApp Cloud API and message templates you approve in Meta. This guide shows you how to connect your Meta account and publish your first WhatsApp automation.

Customers often miss an email for hours, but they read WhatsApp within minutes. A short message like "Your table for 4 is confirmed for 7:30 PM" cuts no-shows and saves your staff from answering "did my booking go through?" calls.

## **Requirements**

- [WP Cafe](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-cafe/) and WP Cafe Pro with an active license, plus WooCommerce
- A [Meta for Developers](https://developers.facebook.com/) app with the Connect on WhatsApp use case
- At least one approved message template in [WhatsApp Manager](https://business.facebook.com/wa/manage/message-templates/)
- A phone number on each order or reservation (WP Cafe sends to the number the customer enters at booking or checkout)

## **Step 1: Get Your Details From Meta**

You need three things from Meta: an access token, a Phone number ID, and a WhatsApp Business Account ID.

1. Open your app from **My Apps** on [Meta for Developers](https://developers.facebook.com/apps/).
2. Open **Use cases** and click **Customize** on **Connect on WhatsApp**.
3. Go to **Basic setup** and open **Step 1. Try it out**.
4. Copy the **Phone number ID** and the **Messaging account ID**. WP Cafe calls the second one **Business Account ID**.
5. Click **Generate token** under **Access token** and copy it.

![Meta business account and messaging ID and authentication token screen](https://themewinter.com/docs/plugins/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/11/01-meta-basic-setup.png)

| **Note:**The Generate token value is temporary. Use it only for testing. For a live site, create a permanent token from a [system user](https://business.facebook.com/settings/system-users) with the `whatsapp_business_messaging` and `whatsapp_business_management` permissions. |
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| **Tip:**A Meta test number can only send to up to 5 recipient numbers. Add them on the same Basic setup page. |
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## **Step 2: Connect WP Cafe to WhatsApp**

1. Go to **WP Cafe > Settings > Integrations**.
2. Find the **WhatsApp** card and switch it on.
3. Click **Configure**.
4. Paste the **Access Token** and **Phone Number ID**. Both are required.
5. Paste the **Business Account ID**. WP Cafe needs it to load your approved templates.
6. Enter the **Admin WhatsApp Number** with the country code, for example `+15551234567`. This number receives every message you send to the Admin receiver.
7. Click **Save changes**.

![WP Cafe Integrations page with the WhatsApp card switched on and the Configure button marked](https://themewinter.com/docs/plugins/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/11/01-whatsapp-card.png)

![Configure WhatsApp panel with Access Token, Phone Number ID, Business Account ID and Admin WhatsApp Number fields](https://themewinter.com/docs/plugins/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/11/02-connect-whatsapp.png)

## **Step 3: Create a Message Template in Meta**

Meta only lets a business start a chat with an approved template, so booking and order updates use one.

1. Open WhatsApp Manager and go to **Message templates**.
2. Click **Create template** and choose the **Utility** category.
3. Pick a language.
4. Write the body with `{{1}}`, `{{2}}`, and so on for the values WP Cafe will fill in. For example: `Hi {{1}}, your table for {{2}} guests is confirmed for {{3}}.`
5. Add a sample value for each variable and submit.

Approval usually takes a few minutes and can take up to 24 hours. Only approved templates show up in WP Cafe.

## **Step 4: Build the WhatsApp Automation**

1. Go to **WP Cafe > Settings > Email Automations** and click **Create New Automation**.
2. Enter a **Flow Name**, pick a **Trigger Event**, and click **Create**. For example, choose **Reservation Confirmed**. WP Cafe also offers Reservation Created, Pending, Updated, Completed, Cancelled, and Refunded, and for food orders: Order Created, Order Status Changed, and Order Cancelled.
3. Click the **+** button under **Automation Starts** and choose **Send WhatsApp Message**.
4. Set **Receiver Type** to **Customer Number** or **Admin Number**.
5. Set **Message Type** to **Template (required for business-initiated)**.
6. Choose your approved template under **WhatsApp Template**. Click **Refresh** if it is missing.
7. Fill each parameter. Click a parameter field, then click a variable under **Available Variables**.

![Add New Node panel in the automation builder with the Send WhatsApp Message action marked](https://themewinter.com/docs/plugins/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/11/03-add-whatsapp-action.png)

For the example template, map the parameters like this:

- `{{1}}` = `{%reservation_name%}`
- `{{2}}` = `{%reservation_total_guests%}`
- `{{3}}` = `{%reservation_date%} at {%reservation_start_time%}`

For food orders, use variables such as `{%customer_name%}`, `{%order_number%}`, and `{%order_total%}`.

![Send WhatsApp Message panel with a template selected and its three parameters filled with reservation variables](https://themewinter.com/docs/plugins/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/11/04-template-parameters.png)

1. Click **Save**, switch the automation to **Active**, and click **Save Now**.

| **Tip:**To message both the customer and yourself, add two **Send WhatsApp Message** actions, one for each receiver. |
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| **Note:**The other Message Type, **Text (24h customer service window only)**, works only within 24 hours after the customer last messaged your business. Use a template for booking and order updates. |
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## **Step 5: Test It**

1. Place a test food order or make a test reservation with your own number, including the country code.
2. Trigger the event your automation listens to. For example, confirm the reservation.
3. Check WhatsApp for the message.

## **Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)**

| **Q1: Why did my customer not get the WhatsApp message?**Check that the phone number includes the country code, the automation is switched to Active, and the template is approved in Meta. If you use a Meta test number, the customer's number must also be on the test recipient list from Step 1. |
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| **Q2: Can I send a plain text message instead of a template?**Only in a narrow case. Text messages work within 24 hours after the customer last messaged your business. Order and booking updates are sent by you first, so Meta requires an approved template. Choose Template as the Message Type and reuse the same template in any automation. |
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| **Q3: Messages stopped sending after working before. What happened?**The Meta access token has most likely expired or lost a permission. Create a permanent token from a system user, paste it into **Access Token** under **WP Cafe > Settings > Integrations > WhatsApp**, and click **Save changes**. |
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### **Conclusion**

You can now send WhatsApp notifications from WP Cafe for orders and reservations. Connect your Meta account, publish the Reservation Confirmed automation, and send yourself a test booking to see it work.