The FWFM Twilio addon sends instant SMS or WhatsApp notifications to restaurant staff whenever a customer places a new order. It uses the Twilio API directly, so no email server or SMTP configuration is needed on your hosting account.
Use Cases
- Instant order alerts — managers receive a message seconds after a customer submits an order, without monitoring the admin panel.
- Multi-staff notification — configure multiple phone numbers to alert all relevant staff simultaneously.
- SMS fallback — use standard SMS for locations where WhatsApp Business is not available.
Requirements
You need an active Twilio account with a purchased or trial phone number. The Twilio PHP SDK must be available in your project (via vendor/autoload.php). The Cart addon must also be active — Twilio notifications are triggered by the cart order submission event.
Configuring Twilio
Once the addon is installed, navigate to Settings → General and locate the Twilio card. Enter the following credentials and options:
- Twilio Account SID — your Account SID, found in the Twilio Console.
- Twilio Auth Token — your Auth Token, found in the Twilio Console.
- Twilio Phone Number — the number you send from, in E.164 format (e.g.
+15551234567).
- Manager phone numbers — a comma-separated list of recipient numbers to notify, in E.164 format.
- Use WhatsApp — set to Yes to send via the WhatsApp Business API, or No to send standard SMS.
Notification Content
Each notification sent to manager numbers includes:
- Order ID
- Customer name, phone, and email
- Order items summary
- Total amount
- Delivery type (Delivery, Pickup, or Dine In)
How It Works
- A customer submits an order through the cart checkout.
- The Cart addon fires an order event.
- The Twilio addon catches that event and sends a message to each configured manager number via the Twilio REST API.
Important Notes
- Your Twilio account must have sufficient balance or an active plan. Messages fail silently if the balance is zero.
- WhatsApp mode requires a Twilio WhatsApp-enabled sender number, and each recipient must have WhatsApp installed.
- Customer-facing confirmations (such as order confirmation emails) are handled by the Cart addon settings, not by this addon.
To install this addon, open the Add-ons panel inside FW Food Menu. See Getting Started → Add-ons for details on free addons, paid addons, and site verification.
