Food & Dining Survival Guide

The fastest way to eat well

Follow busy local places, use translation tools, and learn a few ordering patterns. You do not need perfect Mandarin to eat well, but you do need a payment method and a way to read menus.

Ordering patterns

• Picture menu: point, confirm quantity, pay by QR.
• QR table ordering: scan the table code, choose dishes, pay in app.
• Counter service: order first, take a number, collect food.
• Hotpot/barbecue: choose broth or grill style, then ingredients.
• Street snacks: point, ask price, pay immediately.

Useful food words

• bu la - not spicy
• wei la - mildly spicy
• niu rou - beef
• ji rou - chicken
• zhu rou - pork
• su cai - vegetables
• bu yao hua sheng - no peanuts

If you have a serious allergy, use a full Chinese allergy card instead of relying on pronunciation.

Food safety

Eat where turnover is high. Choose cooked food that is hot. Be careful with raw seafood, unwashed fruit, and ice in smaller towns. Tap water is not normally drunk directly; use bottled or boiled water.

Solo dining

Counter seats, noodle shops, dumpling shops, mall restaurants, and convenience stores are easy alone. For hotpot or large shared dishes, go earlier, order fewer items, or choose a chain that supports smaller portions.

Payment and etiquette

Most casual restaurants expect mobile payment. Tipping is not standard. Staff may not check on you repeatedly; call them when you need something.