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WhatsApp supplier order template for restaurants and cafés
Most kitchens order from suppliers on WhatsApp. When the message is vague, items get missed, the wrong unit arrives, or the delivery lands at the wrong time. This template fixes that. Copy it, fill in the blanks, send.
The template
Replace anything in [square brackets]:
Hi [Supplier name],
Order from [Your outlet] for delivery on [Day, date], before [time]:
• [qty] [unit] [item]
• [qty] [unit] [item]
• [qty] [unit] [item]
Delivery address: [address]
Please reply to confirm the order, the delivery time, and anything you can't supply. Thank you!
This opens WhatsApp with the text ready to edit. Pick the supplier, fill in the blanks, then send.
A filled-in example
Hi Fresh Farm Poultry,
Order from Kopi Corner for delivery on Wed, 8 Oct, before 8am:
• 12 kg Chicken breast
• 6 kg Chicken wings
• 10 tray Eggs (Grade B)
Delivery address: 12, Jalan Contoh, Petaling Jaya
Please reply to confirm the order, the delivery time, and anything you can't supply. Thank you!
7 tips for orders that go right
- One message per order. Don't send items one at a time through the evening. A single message is easy for the supplier to pick from and easy for you to find later.
- Use the supplier's own units. If they sell eggs by the tray and chicken by the kilogram, order that way. "10 eggs" can mean ten eggs or ten trays.
- Put the delivery day and a time limit in the first line. Suppliers often have a cut-off time. Ask them what it is, and send before it.
- Ask for a confirmation. A "noted" reply tells you the order was seen. Ask them to flag anything they can't supply so you can find a substitute before you run out.
- Type the quantities, even if you also send a voice note. A voice note is quick, but a written list is the one thing you and the supplier can both check later.
- Keep the same order of items. Group by category, and keep the same order every time. Missing items are much easier to spot.
- Keep a record. Know what you ordered, from whom and when, so you can settle disagreements on delivery day. A screenshot works; so does a tool that saves it for you.
Common mistakes
- Ordering after the supplier's cut-off and assuming it will arrive tomorrow.
- Sending a photo of a handwritten list that the supplier can't read clearly.
- Forgetting to say which outlet the order is for, when you have more than one.
- Never confirming, then finding out at 7am that nothing is coming.
Doing this every night? TapStok lets your staff tap in what's needed on their phones. You review the list and each supplier's order opens in WhatsApp, written like the example above, ready to send.