Ordering Food

Getting a table and the menu

Chinese restaurants range from street-side stalls with plastic stools to multi-floor banquet halls. At most sit-down restaurants, you'll be greeted at the door or you simply walk in and find a table — there's rarely a formal host. Menus increasingly include pictures, which is a lifesaver. Many modern restaurants use QR codes to display digital menus — scan the code on the table and order directly from your phone.

The word for waiter/waitress in China is 服务员 (fúwùyuán — literally "service person"). Calling out 服务员！ to get attention is completely normal and not considered rude — in fact, waiting staff won't hover, so you'll need to call them over for anything you need.

Placing your order

The key verb for ordering food is 要 (yào — to want/will have). Unlike English, you don't need "can I have" or "I'd like" — 我要 (wǒ yào) is the standard, perfectly polite way to order. Point at the menu if you're unsure of pronunciation. For quantities, use measure words: 一碗 (yī wǎn — one bowl), 一盘 (yī pán — one plate), 一份 (yī fèn — one portion), 一杯 (yī bēi — one cup/glass).

Dietary requirements and allergies

Communicating dietary needs in China requires some preparation. Vegetarianism (素食 sùshí) is understood in larger cities but can be tricky in smaller towns where "no meat" might still mean the broth has meat in it. Veganism (纯素 chún sù) is less familiar outside major urban centres. Allergies should be communicated clearly and firmly — writing them down in Chinese is the most reliable approach for serious allergies.

Drinks and tea culture

Tea in China is not just a beverage — it's a ritual, a social gesture, and a mark of hospitality. At most restaurants, tea arrives automatically when you sit down. Hot water (热水 rè shuǐ) is also standard and free. Cold water is less commonly offered and sometimes needs to be requested specifically.

Baijiu (白酒 báijiǔ — white spirit, typically 40–60% ABV) is the iconic Chinese spirit and will be offered at formal dinners and banquets. You are not obliged to drink — 我不喝酒 (wǒ bù hē jiǔ — I don't drink alcohol) is accepted without offence. Beer (啤酒 píjiǔ), particularly local brands like Tsingtao and Snow, is ubiquitous and cheap.

Street food — ordering at stalls

Some of the best food in China is found at street stalls and night markets. The ordering process is faster and less formal — walk up, point, indicate quantity with fingers, hand over cash or scan a QR code. Most stall vendors in tourist areas have enough experience with foreign visitors to understand basic gestures, but knowing a few words earns immediate goodwill.

Paying the bill

Paying in China has unique customs. At casual restaurants and street food, you often pay upfront or when the food arrives. At sit-down restaurants, you ask for the bill (买单 mǎi dān or 结账 jiézhàng). Splitting the bill (AA制 AA zhì) is common among younger Chinese, but at formal dinners one person typically pays — and there may be a gracious argument over who that should be. As a foreign guest, you'll often find your host has already settled the bill before you realised.

Essential food vocabulary