---
title: "Restaurant Text Messaging for Your Waitlist and Reservations · Carbonara"
description: "Text every guest when their table's ready, confirm reservations and send reminders. Guests can reply. Pay only for what you send, with no contract."
url: "https://www.carbonaraapp.com/features/messaging/"
language: "en-GB"
updated: "2026-11-11"
---

# Texts guests read. Replies you see.

Carbonara texts every guest, from your waitlist and your reservations, and they can text back. Pay only for what you send.

[Get started](https://restaurant-manager.carbonaraapp.com/#/sign-up/create-account)

See message prices

[No contract required](https://www.carbonaraapp.com/no-contracts/)

## Every message, at the right moment.

Waitlist, call-ahead and reservations: guests hear from you when it matters, and nothing else.

Waitlist and call-ahead

1. They join: their place in line and an estimated wait

2. Their table’s ready

3. They reply; your host sees it

Reservations

4. They book: a confirmation by text and email

5. Before they arrive: one tap to confirm or change

### They can reply. You’ll see it.

Guests answer the message they received: “On my way”, “running five minutes late”, “can we sit outside?”. The reply shows on your waitlist or reservation, so the host knows before the guest walks in. You can write back as often as you like.

Cancelations are also messaged: when any reservation is canceled, or for customers who joined the waitlist from Google. Email confirmations and reminders are free and unlimited, on every plan.

## The channel your guests already use.

Carbonara picks the channel from your venue’s country, so guests get messages the way they’re used to getting them. Need a different one? Ask us.

Your venue’s country

### Text message

Every guest message goes by text.

US, Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the Nordics, Poland and others

### WhatsApp, with text as backup

Messages go on WhatsApp. If WhatsApp can’t deliver, a text goes out automatically.

UK, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Greece, Malta, Cabo Verde, Jamaica, Australia

### WhatsApp only

Messages go on WhatsApp, where guests already are.

Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Belize, South Africa

Email too. Confirmations and reminders also go by email. Lots of guests from abroad? We have other ways to reach them, including WhatsApp. Talk to us.

## Too loud for a message?

Carbonara can call guests instead: an automatic voice call tells them their table’s ready. It works in every country.

## Highly reliable.

Messages go through several independent networks.

## Your language, or English.

Messages go out in your venue’s language or in English.

## Messaging questions

### Do guests need to download an app?

No. Messages arrive by text, so there’s nothing to install.

### Can guests reply?

Yes. Replies show in your inbox, and also on the individual customer in the waitlist or reservation book, and you can write back. For WhatsApp, you can send your own custom messages once a guest has replied.

### Which channel will my guests get?

It depends on your venue’s country: text, WhatsApp with a text as backup, or WhatsApp. Ask us if you need a different one.

### Can I change what the messages say?

You can adjust the wording of your text messages. WhatsApp messages use fixed templates.

### What language are messages in?

Your venue’s language or English.

### What do messages cost?

It depends on the country and the channel. See the table above; you buy credits in the Manager Portal.

### Do credits expire?

Unused credits stay valid for two years from the day you buy them.

### Do you charge for emails?

No. Email confirmations and reminders are free and unlimited, on every plan.

### What if it’s too loud for a message?

Carbonara can call guests instead, in any country. Outside the US and Canada calls cost more, so check the prices above.