Eating in China: ordering without Chinese, street food, and paying
Tested across Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai restaurant types, September 2026.
Eating in China is the best part of the trip, and the fear is overblown: photo menus, translation apps, and pointing are a complete language. Here’s how every restaurant type works.
The four kinds of restaurant
1. QR-menu restaurants (most common). You sit, scan the QR sticker on the table with your phone camera, and a menu (mini-program) opens with photos and prices. You tap items, pay in-app with Alipay/WeChat, and food arrives. No waiter interaction needed at all — this is why the language barrier is smaller than you think. If the menu has no photos, use your camera translator on it.
2. Counter/order-at-the-register places. Point at the photo wall or display case. “这个” (zhège — “this one”) plus fingers is a complete transaction. Payment by QR as always.
3. Hotpot. The national social meal. You’ll get a broth (mild 清汤 or spicy 麻辣), raw ingredients by the plate, and a do-it-yourself sauce station. Loud, fun, and the single most recommended “do this with people” experience. Haidilao (海底捞) — the famous service chain — has English menus and staff trained to help foreigners; it’s a gentle on-ramp.
4. Street food / night markets. Cash is dead here too — every stall has a QR code. Look for queues of locals (the eternal rule), watch it being made in front of you, and pay per item. Stomach issues from street food are rare at busy stalls; the risk is overrated by a decade of outdated guides.
The phrases that earn their bytes
| Chinese | Pinyin | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 这个 | zhège | “This one” (pointing) |
| 不辣 | bú là | “Not spicy” |
| 微辣 | wēi là | “Mildly spicy” |
| 我不吃肉 | wǒ bù chī ròu | “I don’t eat meat” |
| 好吃 | hǎochī | “Delicious” (universally appreciated) |
| 买单 | mǎidān | “The bill, please” |
Note: vegetarian is genuinely hard — broths use pork and meat finds its way into “vegetable” dishes. Buddhist restaurants (素菜馆) are the reliable option; the phrase 素食 (sùshí) helps. Also excellent: malatang/malaxiangguo stalls where you pick exactly what goes in your bowl.
What to actually order (opinionated shortlist)
- Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings, Shanghai) — order by the steamer.
- Jianbing (breakfast crepe, street stalls, ¥8) — the best breakfast in the world for the money.
- Roujiamo (Chinese hamburger, Xi’an/Shaanxi).
- Chongqing xiaomian (small noodles) — specify spice level.
- Peking duck — book a famous house once (Siji Minfu is the approachable classic) or get it sliced at markets.
- Anything from a lamb-skew (羊肉串) grill at night.
Drinks
Beer (Tsingtao ¥5–15) is everywhere and weak. Baijiu is a social weapon — sip carefully. Tea is often free (ask for 热水 hot water anywhere and you’ll get it). Bubble tea shops are on every corner and are their own food group. Do not drink tap water.
Paying, tipping, receipts
Everything by QR. Tipping: never expected, sometimes refused, occasionally confusing — just don’t. Ask for a receipt (发票/小票) only if you need it for expenses.