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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.eat-now.io/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

New templates are reviewed by Meta before they can be sent, and sending also requires an approved display name and a payment method. See Templates for the full picture.

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Interface Overview

The template editor mirrors Meta’s own, and builds a message from these blocks:
  • Header (optional) — choose None, Text, Image or Video.
  • Body — the main message, where you insert dynamic variables.
  • Footer (optional) — a small note at the bottom.
  • Buttons (optional) — links, a call button, quick replies, or EatNow smart actions (below).
  • Carousel (optional) — a swipeable series of cards, each with its own image/video, text and buttons.
A live preview on the right shows the message exactly as your customers will see it, updating as you type.

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Header: text, image or video

Pick the header format at the top of the editor:
  • Text — a short title, which can include a variable.
  • Image / Video — upload the file directly; EatNow hosts it and sends it to Meta with the template.
Once a template is approved, Meta doesn’t allow changing the header format (Text ↔ Image/Video). To switch formats, create a new template.

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Buttons

You can add:
  • Visit website (URL) — opens a link.
  • Call — dials a phone number.
  • Quick reply — a tappable canned response.

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EatNow smart actions

On a URL button you can pick an EatNow action instead of typing a link — EatNow then points the button to the right page automatically, per customer. Available actions depend on the template type:
  • View reservation — opens the booking.
  • Pay — opens the payment page (payment templates).
  • New reservation — starts a new booking (e.g. booking requests, expired holds).
  • Confirm — confirms the booking (double-confirmation).
  • Feedback — opens the review/feedback page (follow-ups).
Smart actions aren’t available on marketing templates — those must use a plain website link.
A carousel sends 2 to 10 swipeable cards. Each card has an image or video, a short body (up to 160 characters) and 1–2 buttons — great for showcasing menus, offers or rooms. A few rules Meta enforces:
  • A carousel can’t be combined with a top-level header or footer.
  • All cards must use the same header format (all image, or all video).
  • All cards must have the same number and types of buttons.

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Dynamic variables

Insert variables in the body (and text header) by wrapping them in double curly braces — e.g. {{guest_name}} becomes the customer’s name. Available variables depend on the template type. Booking templates
  • restaurant_name
  • guest_name
  • guest_email
  • guest_phone
  • reservation_date
  • reservation_time
  • group_size
  • total_paid
  • total_refunded
  • total_pending
  • payment_details
Activity templates also include:
  • product_list
Marketing templates use a different set:
  • restaurant_name
  • restaurant_slug
  • guest_name
  • guest_email
  • guest_phone
  • customer_id

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Meta approval

Once created, a template is submitted to Meta for review (usually a few minutes). It may be rejected for:
  • Prohibited promotional content in non-marketing templates.
  • Vague or unclear wording.
  • Incorrectly used variables — make sure they’re wrapped as {{variable}} and relevant.
  • Policy violations — offensive, misleading or non-compliant content.
If rejected, edit and resubmit. Note that an existing template can be edited once every 24 hours.