WhatsApp and Excel, or tiffin software?
Almost every tiffin business starts on WhatsApp and a spreadsheet, and for a handful of customers that is the right call. This page shows where they stop working, what that costs you, and how to move over without losing a customer.
WhatsApp and Excel are free and familiar, and fine for a few customers. They break down as you grow because nothing is automatic: the daily list is rebuilt by hand, skipped meals are missed, payments are chased, and riders are routed by habit. Tiffin software automates those steps; the switch usually pays off once daily lists and payment chasing take real time each day.
How each handles the daily work
| Job | WhatsApp + Excel | Tiffin software (TifTif) |
|---|---|---|
| Today's order list | Rebuilt by hand from messages | Created automatically from subscriptions |
| A customer skips a day | A message that may be missed | They pause it in the app; refund is automatic |
| Payment | Cash or transfers, chased later | Prepaid wallet, debited per meal |
| How much to cook | Counted from the list | Exact count at the cutoff |
| Rider route | Rider's habit | Shortest round, planned |
| "Where is my food?" | Phone calls | Live tracking in the app |
| Complaints | Lost in the chat | Tickets resolved with refunds |
| Monthly numbers | Hours in a spreadsheet | Charts that update themselves |
| Cost | Free | One-time price + running costs |
What "free" actually costs
Your time
An hour a day on lists and payments is hundreds of hours a year — time not spent cooking or selling.
Wasted meals
Every missed "no lunch tomorrow" message is a meal cooked, packed and thrown away.
Money you never collect
Small unpaid balances add up, and asking friends and neighbours for money is awkward.
Moving customers without losing any
-
1
Announce it
Tell customers on WhatsApp why: easier skipping, automatic refunds, live tracking.
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2
Share the link
Customers sign up with their phone number in minutes.
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3
Carry balances over
Credit any prepaid balances to their wallets from the admin panel.
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4
Run both for a week
Keep WhatsApp open for questions while everyone settles in.
Still weighing it up?
On this page
Can I run a tiffin business on WhatsApp and Excel?
Yes, for a small number of customers. As you grow, manual lists, missed skips and payment chasing start to cost real time and money.
When should I switch to tiffin software?
When building the daily list, handling skips and collecting payments take noticeable time every day, or when missed messages start causing waste.
Will my customers be willing to use an app?
Most are, especially when it saves them messaging you. The web app needs no download, and you can keep WhatsApp open for questions during the switch.