Personalizing Your Outreach: SMS Placeholder Guide 📱💬
Automated SMS messages are a powerful way to stay connected with your guests. To make these messages feel personal and informative, NX uses Content Placeholders. These tags act as variables that automatically swap out generic code for real-time data like the guest’s name, their point balance, or a link to their digital receipt.
💡 How Placeholders Work
When you draft an SMS template in the NX Portal, you insert a placeholder (e.g., %CUSTOMER_FIRST_NAME%). When the message sends, NX looks at the specific order or customer profile and fills in the blanks.
Important: Not all placeholders work in every message type. For example, you cannot use "Points Earned" in a simple receipt message if the guest isn't part of your loyalty program.
🛠️ Placeholders by Message Type
1. NX Orders (Online Order Confirmation)
Sent immediately after a guest places an order via your web portal.
| Placeholder | What it displays |
|---|---|
%VENUE_NAME% | The name of your restaurant. |
%CHECK_NUMBER% | The unique ID for their online order. |
%BUSINESS_DATE% | The current business date of the order. |
%VENUE_OO_URL% | A link back to your online ordering site. |
%CUSTOMER_FIRST_NAME% | The name provided during checkout. |
2. Order Ready for Pickup
Sent from the KDS or POS to alert the guest that their food is ready.
| Placeholder | What it displays |
|---|---|
%CUSTOMER_FIRST_NAME% | The guest's first name. |
%CHECK_NAME% | The name assigned to the order (e.g., "Blue Shirt" or "John D"). |
%ORDER_TYPE_NAME% | E.g., "Curbside" or "Take Out". |
%AREA_NAME% | The specific area of the restaurant (e.g., "Barista Counter"). |
3. Loyalty Member Added
Sent when a guest first joins your loyalty program.
| Placeholder | What it displays |
|---|---|
%LOYALTY_PLAN_NAME% | The name of the plan they joined (e.g., "Gold Club"). |
%LOYALTY_PLAN_DESCRIPTION% | The "How to Earn" info you've configured. |
%CUSTOMER_AVAILABLE_REWARDS% | Lists any rewards they received just for signing up. |
%ENTERPRISE_NAME% | Your Enterprise or brand name. |
4. Loyalty Points Earned
Sent after a transaction where a member accumulated points.
| Placeholder | What it displays |
|---|---|
%POINTS_ADDED% | The number of points earned in that specific transaction. |
%LOYALTY_POINTS_EARNED% | The guest's new total point balance. |
%LOYALTY_NEW_REWARD% | If the points triggered a reward, this describes the reward earned. |
%CUSTOMER_VISIT_COUNT% | Total lifetime visits for that customer. |
5. SMS Receipt (Restaurant Visit)
Sent when a guest opts for a digital receipt at the end of their meal.
| Placeholder | What it displays |
|---|---|
%CHECK_URL% | The secure link to the digital receipt and payment summary. |
%VENUE_CITY_STATE_POSTAL% | Your restaurant's city, state, and zip for their records. |
%VENUE_PHONE% | Your restaurant's contact number. |
%CUSTOMER_TOTAL_REVENUE% | The total amount spent on the current visit. |
📋 Full Placeholder Reference List
If you are building a custom template, use this master list as your guide:
Customer Details:
%CUSTOMER_FIRST_NAME%%CUSTOMER_LAST_NAME%%CUSTOMER_EMAIL%%CUSTOMER_PHONE%%CUSTOMER_FIRST_NAME_LAST_INITIAL%(e.g., "John D.")
Note: Customer details will be available whenever customer data is present (i.e. loyalty & online order). Customer details may not be present for Order/Check details in all circumstances.
Venue Details:
%VENUE_NAME%%VENUE_ADDRESS_1%%VENUE_ADDRESS_2%%VENUE_CITY%%VENUE_STATE%%VENUE_POSTAL_CODE%%VENUE_PHONE%
Order/Check Details:
%CHECK_NUMBER%%CHECK_NAME%%CHECK_URL%%CHECK%%AREA_NAME%%REVENUE_CENTER_NAME%%ORDER_TYPE_NAME%%BUSINESS_DATE%
Loyalty & Subscriptions:
%LOYALTY_PLAN_NAME%%LOYALTY_PLAN_DESCRIPTION%%POINTS_ADDED%,%POINTS_REDEEMED%%LOYALTY_POINTS_EARNED%%CUSTOMER_AVAILABLE_REWARDS%%LOYALTY_NEW_REWARD%%SUBSCRIPTION_PLAN_NAME%%CUSTOMER_FIRST_NAME%
Need Help? 💡
What happens if I use a placeholder and the data is missing?
If you use
%CUSTOMER_FIRST_NAME%but the guest didn't provide one, the message will simply show a blank space. We recommend keeping your "Required Prompts" in the Area settings updated to ensure you always have this data.
Is there a character limit?
Standard SMS messages are 160 characters. Using many placeholders (especially long ones like
%VENUE_CITY_STATE_POSTAL%) may break your message into multiple segments, which can increase your carrier costs.
Can I use these for Email too?
Yes! While this guide focuses on SMS, these placeholders are also supported in the Email Template builder within the NX Portal.
Still have questions about automated messaging?
Reach out to your NX Partner or visit the Marketing tab in the Portal to test your templates! 🆘✨