To order food in China, confirm the dish, portion and price before submitting the order, then check how the restaurant wants you to pay. A QR code is convenient when it works, but a staffed counter, a paper menu and a few written phrases are better backups than guessing through a screen you cannot read.
Source-based edition, reviewed 5 October 2026. Restaurant menus and ordering systems vary. This is not a test of a particular mini-program or a guarantee about dietary safety.
First identify how this restaurant takes orders
There are several different situations, and they need different responses:
| Situation | Start here | Confirm before ordering |
|---|---|---|
| Staff take the order at the table | Ask for the menu and point to dishes | Portion size, ingredients, price and extras |
| Counter service | Join the order queue and read the price board | Eat-in or takeaway, quantity and pickup method |
| QR code on the table | Ask staff whether it is the restaurant’s menu | Table number, order submission and payment timing |
| Hot pot | Choose broth, then ingredients | Broth charge, portions, sauces and drinks |
| Food court with several sellers | Check each stall’s checkout | Whether orders and bills are separate |
A menu photograph is useful, but it does not prove what is in the kitchen today. If an ingredient, size or availability matters, ask before ordering.
Sit where staff direct you. A table may have a code assigned to that specific seat or section. Moving afterwards without telling staff can send food to the wrong place.
A short ordering sequence you can use without an app
- Tell staff how many people are eating.
- Ask for a menu or point to the price board.
- Choose a small first order and confirm portions.
- Explain dietary requirements before the order is sent.
- Ask the price of unclear items and extras.
- Confirm the order with staff, including table or pickup number.
- Check the itemized bill and pay through the restaurant’s accepted method.
Ordering another dish later is easier than recovering from a table full of food you did not intend to buy. Ask whether additions go into the same order or create a second bill.
For a first dinner after flying, pick a staffed place near your hotel. Your first 24 hours in Shanghai explains why the simplest nearby meal often makes sense on arrival day.
Portions and units: the question to ask first
Menu prices can refer to a bowl, plate, skewer, person or weight. Do not assume a low-looking number is the whole dish. For seafood or other weight-priced items, ask staff to state the weight and total before cooking.
| What you need to know | Chinese |
|---|---|
| Is this the price for one portion? | 这个价格是一份的吗？ |
| How many people can share this dish? | 这道菜够几个人吃？ |
| Is this priced by weight? | 这个是按重量收费的吗？ |
| Please tell me the total before cooking. | 请在做之前告诉我总价。 |
| Is rice charged separately? | 米饭另收费吗？ |
| What does this extra charge cover? | 这项费用是什么？ |
When pointing at a dish, show the picture and its name, not only its position on the menu. Ask staff to repeat the quantity. A bowl of noodles is often a single serving; a platter may be intended for sharing, but the menu and staff should settle that for your order.
If eating with others, decide who is ordering and whether rice, drinks and sauces are shared. Otherwise several people can accidentally submit the same item.
QR ordering: confirm the task, not a guessed button path
Ask staff whether the table’s code opens the correct restaurant menu. Do not scan a replaced sticker or an unfamiliar payment request simply because it is near the table. If the page asks for an unexpected download, identity document or sensitive information, stop and ask staff.
This edition omits exact menu-button labels because mini-programs differ and the original sequence has not been demonstrated. The useful checks are still the same:
- Correct restaurant and table number.
- Dish name, options and quantity.
- Any broth, rice, sauce or drink charge.
- Whether an item is sold out.
- Whether you are submitting the order, paying it, or only viewing a basket.
- A clear confirmation that staff received the order.
If the code will not load, does not accept your phone number or has no usable translation, ask staff to take the order. Show the dishes and quantities on your phone or a written note. Do not assume an account problem means the restaurant cannot serve you.
Camera translation can help you read descriptions, but it can confuse ingredients, units and dish names. Use it as a starting point for a question, not as proof of an allergy-safe recipe.
Spicy, vegetarian and allergy requirements are different
“Not spicy” does not mean vegetarian, and “vegetarian” does not resolve an allergy. A dish with vegetables may include meat stock, animal fat or another ingredient you need to avoid. Ask about the actual preparation rather than relying on the dish’s short English name.
| Request | Chinese |
|---|---|
| Please do not add chilli. | 请不要放辣椒。 |
| I do not eat meat. | 我不吃肉。 |
| Does it contain meat stock or animal fat? | 有肉汤或者动物油吗？ |
| I do not eat pork / beef. | 我不吃猪肉 / 牛肉。 |
| I am allergic to ___. | 我对___过敏。 |
| Could you ask the kitchen? | 可以帮我问一下厨房吗？ |
For an allergy, write the ingredient clearly in Chinese and explain that preparation and shared equipment matter, not only removing a visible topping. Ask the kitchen; if they cannot confirm what you need, choose another meal. A card or translation cannot guarantee safety. The UK Food Standards Agency’s allergen guidance discusses cross-contamination; it is not a certification of restaurants in China.
Do not make a restaurant’s positive answer sound like a medical assurance. Keep your own clinician’s travel plan for a known severe allergy; this article does not replace it.
Hot pot: price the broth as well as the ingredients
A split pot is 鸳鸯锅. Ask which broths are available and how they are charged. A non-spicy side may still share serving utensils or kitchen preparation; it is not automatically suitable for an allergy.
Order ingredients in modest quantities first. Check whether each price is for a full or half portion and whether sauces or drinks are separate. Ask staff about cooking the unfamiliar items rather than following a universal cooking-time caption.
| At hot pot | Chinese |
|---|---|
| We would like a split pot. | 我们想要鸳鸯锅。 |
| Is there a non-spicy broth? | 有不辣的锅底吗？ |
| How much is the broth? | 锅底多少钱？ |
| Is a half portion available? | 可以点半份吗？ |
| Is dipping sauce included? | 蘸料包含在价格里吗？ |
| Please show us how to cook this. | 请告诉我们这个怎么煮。 |
For a city itinerary built around hot pot, see three days in Chongqing. Choose the meal that suits your party rather than the most famous spicy restaurant.
Check the bill before paying
Ask for the bill and compare it with what was served. Check duplicate dishes, quantities, drinks and any extra charges. If something is unclear, ask before confirming payment.
Use the accepted merchant checkout. A request to transfer money to an individual is not a substitute for an international-card merchant payment. Alipay setup and backups explains why.
The wallet may display a fee and the issuer may add its own charges. This edition does not publish a fixed fee threshold or promise that a promotion applies to you. Check the actual screen and your card terms.
If the result is unclear, ask staff to check receipt and look at your transaction record. Do not pay twice just because the first confirmation took time to load. Keep the bill and transaction reference when asking for a correction.
When ordering goes wrong
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Wrong table/order number | Tell staff before another order is submitted |
| Dish unavailable | Ask for an alternative and confirm the new price |
| Portion too large | Reduce additions; ask whether leftovers can be packed |
| App will not work | Ask for staff-assisted ordering or a paper menu |
| Ingredient cannot be confirmed | Choose another dish or restaurant |
| Charge unclear | Request an itemized explanation before paying |
| Payment declined | Use an accepted backup; do not repeat uncertain attempts |
Useful closing phrases are 买单，谢谢 (“The bill, please”), 请给我收据 (“Please give me a receipt”) and 可以打包吗？ (“Can this be packed to take away?”). Packaging availability and any charge should be confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Must I order through a QR code?
Ask the particular restaurant. If you cannot use its system, explain the problem and request staff assistance; do not assume the same app or menu path applies everywhere.
Can I order without an English menu?
Use pictures, written names and the phrases above, then confirm portions, price and ingredients with staff. Translation helps with questions but is not proof of what a dish contains.
Does a non-spicy broth solve an allergy concern?
No. Ingredients and cross-contact are separate questions. A split pot does not guarantee separation.
What if I am unsure whether payment succeeded?
Check your transaction record and ask the restaurant to confirm receipt before paying again.
Save the Chinese-English ordering card
The A5 card covers portions, ingredients, bill checks and payment phrases. Fill in your own dietary requirements carefully and do not treat it as a safety certificate.
Sources and scope
Payment limitations were checked against Ant International on 5 October 2026. QR safety is explained by the US Federal Trade Commission; allergen cross-contact by the UK Food Standards Agency. Ordering phrases and checklists are editorial aids. No particular restaurant, menu, transaction or allergy-safe preparation has been tested for this edition.
Featured image: Self-service ordering machines at Master Kong, Zhengzhou (2022), by Windmemories, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; cropped/re-encoded. Documentary context only; no sponsorship or current-interface claim.
