Food & Dining FAQ

Casual diners and mid-tier chains do not accept reservations; they operate on a first-come, first-served basis using digital queue tickets (取号). Popular high-end restaurants require reservations via WeChat or phone.

How Queuing Works: For popular places (like hotpot giant Haidilao), go to the host stand at the entrance to get a paper ticket with a queue number, or scan their QR code on WeChat/Alipay to join a virtual queue. The display board will show which number is currently being seated.

Most Chinese restaurants now use QR-code table ordering via WeChat or Alipay. You simply scan the QR code sticker on your table using the WeChat or Alipay camera, which opens an in-app digital menu where you can view pictures, translate dishes, and pay directly from your phone.

YouTube Practical Tip: If the QR menu doesn't have an auto-translate button, take a screenshot of the digital menu and run it through Google Translate or Apple Translate (or use live photo translation). For street stalls without QR codes, pointing at physical display dishes or food samples works completely fine.

How to order a drink in China!

Some restaurant ordering mini-programs require phone verification to complete the order. If you do not have a +86 Chinese phone number, you cannot complete self-ordering through that specific QR code.

Workaround (via Reddit):

• Ask for a Physical Menu: Wave to a staff member and say "Càidān" (菜单 - Menu).
• Ask the Staff to Scan for You: Point to your phone and show that you can't register. Station staff will usually scan the code on their own device or take your order verbally using a handheld tablet.

Relying on verbal explanations in English often leads to misunderstandings. You should prepare written "Dietary Flashcards" in simplified Chinese on your phone before dining out.

• Essential Phrases for Your Cards:
  • Vegetarian/Vegan: 我吃素，不要肉，不要猪油 (I am vegetarian; no meat, no lard).
  • Peanut/Nut Allergy: 我对花生/坚果过敏，食用会危及生命 (I am dangerously allergic to peanuts/nuts).
  • Gluten-Free: 我不能吃小麦/面粉/酱油 (I cannot eat wheat/flour/soy sauce).
• Crucial Advice: Pure vegan or gluten-free options are rare in standard local diners because soy sauce, chicken powder, and animal broth are base seasonings. Look for dedicated Buddhist Vegetarian (素食) restaurants or Halal (清真 - Qīngzhēn) noodle shops.

No. Tap water across mainland China is not safe for direct drinking. You must only drink boiled water (which is widely provided in hotels and restaurants) or sealed bottled water.

Community Insight: Boiling water is deeply rooted in Chinese culture. Restaurants will almost always serve hot or warm water (Kāishuǐ) for free. If you want cold drinking water, buy bottled water (Kàngquánshuǐ) from convenience stores or ask the staff for room-temperature bottled water. Ice served in reputable restaurants and coffee chains (like Luckin or Starbucks) is generally made from purified water and safe.

The two dominant food delivery platforms are Meituan (美团) and Ele.me (饿了么). You can access Meituan directly through the WeChat mini-program without downloading a separate app.

• How to Receive Orders at Hotels: Most Chinese hotels do not allow delivery drivers (Wàimài) to go up to guest rooms. Instead, the driver will leave your food at a dedicated Delivery Locker in the lobby, or a hotel service robot will automatically deliver it to your room door.
• Pro-Tip: Ensure your hotel address is clearly selected in the app, and keep an eye on the in-app chat, as drivers may message you if they cannot find the lobby.

order food through alipay

Key habits include not sticking chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice, sharing dishes family-style, and placing discarded bones on the small side plate provided.

Do's and Don'ts (via Reddit/YouTube):

• Chopstick Taboo: Never stick your chopsticks upright into a rice bowl—this mimics incense sticks used at funerals and is considered bad luck. Place them on the chopstick rest or horizontally across the bowl.
• Bone Plate (骨碟): Do not spit fish bones or chicken bones onto your main eating plate or the floor; place them on the tiny bone dish next to your bowl.
• Pouring Tea: If someone fills your tea glass, lightly tap your index and middle fingers on the table a couple of times as a silent "thank you."

Splitting bills item-by-item at the register is not standard practice in China. Usually, one person pays the entire bill, and everyone else transfers their share to that person via WeChat or Alipay.

How Groups Handle It: Since POS systems at local places cannot split an order onto multiple credit cards, have one traveler in your group scan the table QR code, pay the final bill, and use the "Group Split" (AA收款) feature inside WeChat or Alipay to request equal payment from the others.

Yes, Chinese street food is generally safe, especially in heavily regulated night markets, established street stalls, and crowded tourist spots.

Rule of Thumb: Look for stalls with high customer turnover—a long queue of locals means the ingredients are fresh and being cooked at high heat continuously. Avoid stalls where raw meat or seafood has been sitting out in room temperature without proper ice/refrigeration.

Spiciness in China is nuanced and categorized into "Málà" (Numbing Spicy - 麻辣) and "Xānlà" (Fresh/Sour Spicy - 鲜辣). If you cannot tolerate heavy spice, explicitly ask for "Bù Yào Là" (不要辣 - No Spice) or "Weī Là" (微辣 - Mild Spice).

Local Secret: Be aware that in regions like Chengdu, Chongqing, or Changsha, even ordering "Mild Spice" (Weī Là) can still be significantly spicier than western spicy dishes. If your digestive system is sensitive, keep dairy products (like milk or local sweetened yogurt Suānnǎi) on hand to quickly neutralize capsaicin heat.

Extreme caution is required. Peanut oil is one of the most commonly used cooking oils in Chinese restaurants, and crushed peanuts and peanut butter are frequently used as unofficial ingredients in hot pot dipping sauces and cold dishes (such as crispy fried dough sticks and cold noodles).

• Urgent Reminder: Restaurants in China may not be as aware of cross-contamination as those in Western countries. If you have a life-threatening peanut allergy, always carry an EpiPen (auto-injector) and show this message to the restaurant when ordering:

• "I have a life-threatening peanut allergy. Please ensure no peanuts or peanut oil touch my food or pans.)

You can use Meituan or Ele.me through Alipay's mini-programs — no separate Chinese number needed if your Alipay is verified. Steps: Open Alipay → search "Meituan" or "Ele.me" → order food → pay with your linked foreign card. Alternatively, ask your hotel front desk to order for you, or use the English app "Sherpa's" in major cities.

Tips: 1) Use translation apps — point your camera at the menu. 2) Many restaurants have picture menus — just point. 3) In malls and tourist areas, English menus are common. 4) Use Alipay/WeChat to scan QR code menus which sometimes have English. 5) Learn basic phrases: "这个" (this one), "不要辣" (no spicy), "买单" (check please).