How to Order Food and Drink in China? A Mini-Guide with Key Phrases (2025)
(This article was written for YenKid In China, an original and independent practical guide for China travel. Check out my homepage for guides to save you time, money and stress).
🍴 Step by Step: Ordering Food at a Restaurant
The vast majority of restaurants in China use digital menus, but you may be lucky enough to visit a few places that provide paper menus and staff taking your order. 🍽️
For most restaurants, this is the typical process for a customer:
1️⃣ Open QR scan function on either Alipay or WeChat) ➡️ Scan barcode on table. This barcode is unique to your table. Do not scan barcodes on other tables. Sometimes, there is more than one barcode on one table - it should be the one that states the table number. If it doesn’t work, try the other one.
2️⃣ Specify the number of people (a popup will show if you are required to do this. This does not always apply.)
3️⃣ You will be presented with a digital menu which you can browse. Normally, there are pictures. To understand what you are looking at, either use the Alipay in-built translation function or upload screenshots to a translation app if necessary.
4️⃣ Add the items you want to the basket.
5️⃣ Review your basket and go back to the previous screen if anything is missing.
6️⃣ Place the order when you are ready.
7️⃣ You should see a payment page on your screen at most restaurants. Make payment by selecting Alipay/WeChat, otherwise your order will not go through. After payment, you do not need to show it to staff - they should have received it.
However, some restaurants prefer payment at the counter when you leave. If no payment page appears, this should be the case. Just double check the order page to make sure there is no option to pay and translate your order page if you are not 100% sure. Last thing you want is realising after 30 minutes that you haven’t actually placed your order because it was waiting for you to pay.
If your app is annoyingly slow, check your VPN is off.
8️⃣ Wait for your meal to be served. You may order additional items by following the procedure again. If you have waited a long time, show the order on your phone to staff.
NOTE: If you have allergies, please speak to the staff directly by using a translation app. Be very serious about it. You should use your own judgement as to whether you are confident they have understood you correctly and will do as requested.
🍴 Step by Step: Ordering Food at a Food Stall
The process is greatly simplified at street stalls.
1️⃣ Point at what you want OR use a translation app ➡️ scan the vendor’s QR code ➡️ input the exact amount requested and pay ➡️ wait for your food to be served!
#My Food Dictionary for a Beginner
Meat and Seafood
Chicken 鸡肉 ⏺️ Pork 猪肉 ⏺️ Beef 牛肉 ⏺️ Lamb 羊肉 ⏺️ Fish 鱼 ⏺️ Prawns 虾仁 ⏺️ Eggs 鸡蛋
Staples
Rice 米饭 ⏺️ Noodles 面
Seasonings
No salt = 不要加盐 = bù yào jiā yán
Less salt = 少盐 = shǎo yán
No sugar = 不要加糖 = bù yào jiā táng
Less sugar = 少糖 = shǎo táng
Less oil = 少油 = shǎo yóu
Spice Level
Not spicy = 不要辣 = bù yào là
A little spicy = 微辣 = wēi là
Medium spicy = 中辣 = zhōng là
Insanely spicy = 变态辣 = biàn tài là
I Don’t Want
No scallions = 不要葱 = bù yào cōng
No cilantro = 不要香菜 = bù yào xiāng cài
Allergies
I’m allergic to… = 我对。。。过敏 = wǒ duì “add the ingredient here” guò mǐn
Portions & Sides
Small portion = 小份 = xiǎo fèn
Large portion = 大份 = dà fèn
Takeout box (for leftovers) = 打包 = zī yuán
Add a bowl of rice = 加一碗米饭 = jiā yī wǎn mǐ fàn
☕ Step by Step: Ordering Drinks at a Coffee or Tea Shop
The process is greatly simplified at coffee and tea shops.
1️⃣ Scan the QR code on any table or the counter ➡️ order your drinks on the app ➡️ pay ➡️ collect your drinks from the counter when your order number appears under “collect” on the screen.
#My Drink Dictionary for a Beginner
Hot or cold
Hot = 热 = rè
Iced = 冰 = bīng
+
Coffees
Latte = 拿铁 = ná tiě
Americano = 美式 = měi shì
Teas
Milk tea = 奶茶 = nǎi chá
Lemon tea = 柠檬茶 = níng méng chá
Fruit tea = 果茶 = guǒ chá
Jasmine tea = 茉莉绿茶 = mò lì lǜ chá
Soft Drinks
Coke = 可乐 = kě lè
Fruit juice = 果汁 = guǒ zhī
Bottle of water = 一瓶水 = yī píng shuǐ
Boiled water = 白开水 = bái kāi shuǐ
Adjustments
No milk = 不要奶 = bù yào nǎi
No ice = 不要冰 = bù yào bīng
Less ice = 少冰 = shǎo bīng
