The 8 questions restaurant DMs always ask

Before configuring any automation, list your top 8 DM questions. For most restaurants:

1. "What are your opening hours?" / "Are you open on [day]?"
2. "How do I make a reservation?" / "Do you take bookings?"
3. "Do you have a menu online?" / "What kind of food do you serve?"
4. "Do you cater to vegetarians / vegans / gluten-free?"
5. "Do you have parking?"
6. "Where are you located?"
7. "Can you accommodate a group of [X] people?"
8. "Do you have a private dining room?" / "Can you do private events?"

An AI-powered auto-reply trained on your restaurant's specific answers to these questions handles all of them instantly without any staff involvement.

Setting up restaurant Facebook DM automation

Step 1: Configure your knowledge base

For an AI tool (ReplyMind), enter your restaurant's information:

• Full opening hours including any variations (lunch service, dinner service, closed days)
• Reservation process (online booking link, call number, or walk-in policy)
• Menu link or brief description of cuisine type and price range
• Dietary options summary (vegetarian-friendly, vegan options, gluten-free available, allergen menu on request)
• Location and parking
• Group booking policy (party size for special arrangements, lead time required, contact for private events)
• Any seasonal hours or upcoming closures

Step 2: Configure Instant Reply (Meta Business Suite)

Open Meta Business Suite → Inbox → Automations → Instant Reply. Write a general Instant Reply that covers the most common scenarios and directs to useful resources.

"Thanks for your message! Here's the quick info:

Open: [hours] Reserve a table: [booking link] Menu: [menu link]

For dietary requirements, group bookings, or anything else — reply here and we'll get back to you within [timeframe]."

Step 3: Configure Away Message

For the hours your restaurant is closed:

"We're currently closed — back at [opening time].

You can still book a table online for when we reopen: [booking link]

See you soon!"

Step 4: Handle group bookings

For group enquiries (typically 8+ people), configure a specific response that collects the key information:

"Great — we love group bookings! To check availability and discuss options, our events team needs: date, approximate party size, and whether you'd like the full menu or a set menu. Reply with those details and we'll be in touch within [timeframe]."

After-hours is when it matters most

Restaurant DMs peak on Friday evenings and weekend afternoons — exactly when service is at its busiest and no one is watching social media. A Friday evening enquiry about Saturday night availability that goes unanswered until Monday morning is a lost booking.

Automation addresses this completely: the enquiry is answered instantly, the booking link is provided, and many prospects book directly through the link without needing a human response at all.

What to escalate to a human

• Complaints or negative experiences (always requires a personal, empathetic response)
• Complex allergy queries beyond standard dietary options (may have liability implications)
• Private event enquiries with specific requirements
• Media enquiries or press requests
• Any message expressing strong emotion (positive or negative)

Configure your automation to detect keywords associated with these scenarios and alert your team for personal follow-up.