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After You Arrive · 点餐指南

How to Order Food in China Without Speaking Mandarin

Eating in China is one of the great joys of the trip — and you can eat magnificently without speaking a single word of Mandarin. Photo menus, QR code menus, translation apps, and a handful of key phrases will take you further than you think.

⏱ 7 min read📅 Updated September 2026✅ No Mandarin needed

🌶️ Kat's Honest Food Warning

Chinese food in China is dramatically different from Chinese food abroad — spicier, oilier, more varied, and infinitely more delicious. Sichuan food will make you cry (in a good way). Dongbei food will confuse you. Cantonese dim sum will change your weekend mornings forever. Stay open to everything.

Types of Menus You'll Encounter

📷 Picture Menus — Easiest

Most local restaurants have photo menus
Simply point at what looks good and hold up fingers for quantity
Works perfectly — staff are used to foreign tourists doing this
Smile and point confidently — it always works

📱 QR Code Menus — Most Common

Scan the QR code on the table with WeChat or Alipay
A digital menu opens — in Chinese, maybe with photos
Use Google Translate camera to read text
Some QR menus let you order and pay directly — no staff interaction needed

📋 Chinese Text Only — Use Translation

Open Google Translate or Papago → camera mode → point at menu
Instant translation — works offline with downloaded language pack
Baidu Translate is a local alternative (works without VPN)
Show the translated screen to staff — they understand immediately

🌐 English Menus — Tourist Areas

Available in major tourist areas and international hotel restaurants
Dianping app lets you filter "English menu available"
Prices are often slightly higher where English menus exist
Worth using on your first day while you find your footing

Essential Food Phrases

这个

zhè gè

This one — point at the menu while saying this

不辣

bù là

Not spicy — essential for people who cannot eat spicy! (my spicy level is 0/10)

少辣

shǎo là

A little spicy — if you want mild heat

不要香菜

bú yào xiāng cài

No coriander / no cilantro (this is very personal suggestion)

买单

mǎi dān

The bill please — or just tap your Alipay scan icon

好吃！

hǎo chī!

Delicious! — makes every staff and cook smile instantly

我吃素

wǒ chī sù

I'm vegetarian — note: may still include fish/egg

打包

dǎ bāo

To take away / doggy bag please

How to Find Good Restaurants

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Dianping (大众点评) — China's Yelp

The most trusted restaurant rating app in China. Every restaurant is reviewed by real locals. Photos show exactly what the food looks like. Filter by cuisine, price, rating, and "foreign-friendly."

✅ Sort by rating — 4.5+ stars means genuinely excellent. The photos are honest. Trust them.

💬

WeChat Mini-Programs — Order Delivery

Search "Meituan" or "Eleme" in WeChat — these are China's food delivery apps. You can order from any nearby restaurant and have it delivered to your hotel or even your train seat!

💡 For hotel deliveries, give your room number. For train deliveries, give your carriage and seat number before the next stop.

💡 Kat's Restaurant Strategy

Find the restaurant with the longest queue of locals outside. Queue. Order whatever the table next to you is having. This method has never failed me in 20 years of eating across China.

Dietary Requirements in China

🥬 Vegetarian

Say "我吃素 (wǒ chī sù)" but clarify — Chinese vegetarianism may include egg and fish
Buddhist vegetarian restaurants (素食 sùshí) are strictly plant-based
Search "素食" on Dianping for vegetarian restaurants near you
Tofu dishes, vegetable dumplings, and stir-fried greens are always safe bets

🌾 Gluten-Free

Very difficult in China — soy sauce contains wheat
Rice-based dishes are safest (rice noodles, steamed rice, rice porridge)
Show staff a card: "我对麸质过敏 (wǒ duì fūzhì guòmǐn)" — I'm allergic to gluten
Bring a printed allergy card in Chinese for serious allergies

🥜 Nut Allergies

Peanuts are common in Chinese cooking — often hidden in sauces
Always ask: "有花生吗？(yǒu huā shēng ma)" — Is there peanut?
For serious allergies, carry a Chinese allergy card
Congee (rice porridge) and plain steamed dishes are usually safest

🐷 Halal / Kosher

Halal (清真 qīngzhēn) food is widely available — large Muslim communities in Northwest China
Search "清真" on Dianping for certified halal restaurants
Xinjiang and Gansu cuisine is predominantly halal
Kosher food is very limited — research carefully before travelling

🍜 Get the Free Food Ordering Cheat Sheet

Key phrases, how to read a menu with translation apps, and the best food apps — all in one printable page. Perfect for your first week in China.

✅ On its way!

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