Short answer
Sit down, scan the QR code on the table, order in English inside WeChat or Alipay, and pay in the app. If there is no QR code, point at photos and repeat zhège, yī ge. The system is designed to remove conversation — which is exactly why it works for visitors.
The three ways to order
1. Scan-to-order (扫码点餐) — the default now
- Scan the table QR with WeChat or Alipay.
- A mini-program menu opens — often with an English toggle, and always with photos.
- Tap dishes, adjust quantity, submit, and pay in the app.
- Food arrives by number; you may need to confirm a second time for drinks.
2. Photo menus and pointing
Older and smaller restaurants still use laminated photo menus. Photograph the dish you want, show the server, and hold up fingers for quantity. For dishes with no photo, use your phone’s camera translation or ask nǐmen yǒu shénme tuījiàn? (你们有什么推荐? — what do you recommend?).
3. Street food and markets
Point, hold up fingers, then show your Alipay/WeChat payment code. Vendors are used to it and it takes seconds. Keep small cash for the occasional older stall.
Phrases worth photographing
| 不要辣 | bú yào là | no chilli |
| 不要香菜 | bú yào xiāngcài | no coriander |
| 素食 | sùshí | vegetarian |
| 清真 | qīngzhēn | halal |
| 买单 | mǎi dān | the bill, please |
| 打包 | dǎbāo | takeaway box |
| 不要味精 | bú yào wèijīng | no MSG |
Finding the good places
- Dianping (大众点评): ratings, price per person, dish-level reviews, and the 必吃榜 (Must-Eat) and 黑珍珠 (Black Pearl) lists. Foreign phone numbers can register; screenshot the Chinese name and address to show a driver.
- Queue numbers (取号): famous restaurants use electronic queues — scan at the door, wait for the notification.
- Timing: lunch 11:30-13:30, dinner 17:30-20:30. Popular spots run out of signature dishes by 19:00.
- Seating culture: sharing dishes is normal; rice and tea are usually refilled free.
Dietary and religious needs
Halal restaurants exist in every major city (look for 清真) and are common in Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter and Guangzhou’s Huaisheng Mosque area. Vegetarian food is easy in Buddhist temples and in dedicated 素食 restaurants; elsewhere, confirm that the broth is not meat-based. See our Muslim-friendly China tours if halal dining is a priority.
Food is the reason most of our guests come. Browse China’s best food tours or the Guangzhou dim sum guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I order food in China if I do not speak Chinese?
Use the QR code on the table. In most restaurants you scan it with WeChat or Alipay, an English menu opens in the mini-program, and you tap dishes and pay in the app. If there is no QR code, point at photos, or use a translation app’s camera mode on the paper menu — then confirm with the phrase ‘zhège, yī ge’ (这个，一个 — this one, one portion).
What is the most useful Chinese phrase for ordering?
‘Bú yào là’ (不要辣) means no chilli. ‘Bú yào xiāngcài’ (不要香菜) means no coriander. ‘Sùshí’ (素食) means vegetarian, and ‘qīngzhēn’ (清真) means halal. Photograph these four and show them to staff.
How do I find good restaurants, not tourist traps?
Use Dianping (大众点评), China’s restaurant-review app — filter by rating, price per person and ‘必吃榜’ (Must-Eat List) or ‘黑珍珠’ (Black Pearl) awards. Look for places with high ratings but a plain interior: in China, packed local tables are the strongest signal.
Do I need a reservation, and how do I queue?
Popular places use an electronic queue: scan the code at the door, take a number (取号) and wait for the WeChat notification. For famous restaurants, arrive before 11:30 for lunch or 17:30 for dinner, or ask your hotel to call ahead.
Can I pay and tip at restaurants?
Pay through the QR mini-program or at the counter with Alipay/WeChat Pay — cash is accepted but slow. Tipping is not expected in mainland China; service charge is rare outside luxury hotels.
Want this handled for you? On a ShenYou private tour your driver-guide sets up payments, ordering, SIM cards and hotel check-in before you need to ask. WhatsApp us — itinerary and quote within 24 hours.