Restaurants work by QR code — scan, tap, eat, no talking required. Don’t be shy about pointing at what the next table is having; it’s the universal language and most kitchens will recreate the dish.
Eating out in China is mostly a phone task, not a language task. Below: the ordering flow, the spice words that matter, an allergy card you can show staff, and a menu decoder.
1 A Meal, Start to Finish
One-line takeaway: sit down, scan, tap, pay with your phone, walk out — no tip, no waiter conversation.
Wait to be seated
Staff point you to a table — you sit down before anything else happens.
Scan the QR menu
The code is usually taped to the table. A digital menu opens on your phone — tap “English” if it’s offered.
Order
Select dishes, customise the spice level, place the order. No waiter interaction needed.
Eat
Food arrives in 10–20 minutes, dish by dish as the kitchen finishes it.
Pay by QR
Alipay or WeChat Pay from your seat. The price is final — no tip.
Welcome to the future: 90% of restaurants don’t have paper menus.
It’s brilliant for tourists because there’s zero language barrier — you just tap buttons.
2 Ordering Without Speaking Chinese
One-line takeaway: the magic word is auto-translate — your camera reads the menu for you.
Screenshot
Take a screenshot of the Chinese menu.
Camera translate
Google Translate app: Camera mode, point at the menu, translate.
Find & tap
Find a dish you want, then tap it in the original app.
Customise
Look for the “Customize” button and select spice level — usually images, not words.
Add & pay
Tap “Add to Cart”, then “Pay”.
3 Spice Levels — The Words That Matter
One-line takeaway: in China “spicy” (辣 / là) is not optional. If you don’t say “no spicy,” food will come FIRE ENGINE HOT.
| Say this | Pinyin | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| 不要辣 | bù yào là | NOT SPICY — the safest option |
| 微辣 | wēi là | Mildly spicy |
| 中辣 | zhōng là | Medium spicy |
| 辣 | là | Spicy (ouch) |
| 超辣 | chāo là | SUPER SPICY — locals only |
4 Allergies: Make a Card Before You Order
One-line takeaway: a full-screen Chinese allergy card removes all doubt at the table. Build yours here.
5 Which Regional Kitchen Are You In?
One-line takeaway: “Chinese food” is a dozen different cuisines — the spice risk depends on which one you walked into.
| Cuisine | Character | Signature dish | Spice level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sichuan 川菜 | Hot, numbing, chilli-forward | Mapo Tofu 麻婆豆腐 | Very spicy |
| Sichuan (mild end) | Savoury with peanuts and dried chilli | Kung Pao Chicken 宫保鸡丁 | Medium |
| Cantonese 粤菜 | Light, fresh, steamed and boiled | Fish Soup 鱼汤 | Not spicy |
| Jiangzhe 江浙菜 | Sweet-and-sour, gently sugared sauces | Sweet & Sour Pork 糖醋肉 | Not spicy |
| Northern / Beijing | Roasted meats, wheat noodles and buns | Peking Duck 北京烤鸭 | Mild |
| Everyday stir-fry | Wok noodles and rice, found everywhere | Chow Mein 炒面 | Mild |
15 Most Common Dishes
| English | Chinese | English | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Pot | 火锅 | Dumplings | 饺子 |
| Fried Rice | 炒饭 | Spring Rolls | 春卷 |
| Peking Duck | 北京烤鸭 | Fish Soup | 鱼汤 |
| Noodles | 面条 | Rice Bowl | 米饭 |
| Stir Fry | 炒菜 | Steamed Buns | 馒头 |
| Kung Pao Chicken | 宫保鸡丁 | Mapo Tofu | 麻婆豆腐 |
| Chow Mein | 炒面 | Sweet & Sour Pork | 糖醋肉 |
| Sour Plum Drink | 酸梅汤 | Beer / Tea | 啤酒 / 茶 |
Preparation Methods & Main Ingredients
| Method | Chinese | Ingredient | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steamed | 蒸 | Chicken | 鸡 |
| Fried | 炒 | Pork | 猪肉 |
| Roasted | 烤 | Beef | 牛肉 |
| Boiled | 煮 | Fish / Shrimp | 鱼 / 虾 |
| Stewed | 炖 | Tofu | 豆腐 |
| — | — | Vegetable / Egg | 蔬菜 / 蛋 |
6 Drinks: Tea, Hot Water and Boba
One-line takeaway: hot water with meals is free, and a bubble-tea order is its own little language — build yours below.
Restaurant drinks worth knowing: Sour Plum Drink 酸梅汤, Beer 啤酒, Tea 茶.
7 Table Etiquette: Do and Don’t
One-line takeaway: order what you can finish, learn chopsticks, and never reach for your wallet to tip.
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Ask for hot water — Chinese people drink hot water with meals. It’s free and delicious. | Tip the waiter — tipping isn’t expected in China. Your meal price is final. |
| Eat rice last — fill up on veggie dishes, then rice. Rice is the cheapest filler. | Waste food — leaving food on your plate is rude. Only order what you can eat. |
| Screenshot dish numbers — restaurants often use numbers, so a screenshot makes ordering easier. | Expect forks — learn chopsticks ASAP. Forks are hard to find outside tourist areas. |
8 Paying, Delivery and Fancy Dinners
One-line takeaway: phone pays for everything — in the restaurant, at your hotel door, and at the booking stage.
Most restaurants — especially those with QR code menus — accept Alipay or WeChat Pay only.
A few tourist areas might take cards, but don’t count on it. Cash is outdated and unnecessary: even street vendors prefer mobile payment, and you’ll have a hard time using cash at restaurants.
Food delivered to your hotel
Download Meituan (美团) or Eleme (饿了么). Both work the same way: tap your location on the map, see restaurants delivering to you (sorted by rating and delivery time), browse the menu and add items, choose delivery speed (30 min or 1 hour), pay via Alipay/WeChat, and food arrives hot at your door.
High-end dining
Fancy restaurants in China often don’t have English interfaces.
Use Trip.com to book and reserve tables in English before your trip. They handle all the language barriers for you.
You’re ready to eat.
Chinese food is delicious, cheap, and abundant. The scanning and ordering system is actually EASIER than traditional restaurants in your home country. No language skills required. Dive in.